does carnival cruise have slides

• Don't Miss Out on Exclusive Labor Day Cruise Deals !
• Get exclusive cruise deals on MSC Poesia Mediterranean Cruises for 2024
• Get exclusive cruise deals on MSC Sailings from New York
• Get exclusive cruise deals on MSC Euribia Northern Europe Cruises for 2024
• Get exclusive cruise deals on MSC Cruises from Miami and Port Canaveral
• Discover Exclusive Offers and Special Deals on MSC Cruise Deals
• +1 (866) 622-3344

• Top Cruise Destinations
• All Cruise Destinations
• Top Departure Ports
• All Departure Ports
•  Ocean Cruises
•  River Cruises
•  Cruise Length
•  2 to 3 nights
•  4 to 6 nights
•  7 to 9 nights
•  10 to 13 nights
•  14 and more nights
• All Cruise Lines
• Cruise Booking
• Cruise Articles
• Carnival Cruise Tips

Which Carnival Cruise Ships Have Waterworks?

Explore the aquatic wonders of WaterWorks on Carnival Cruise Ships. From giant slides to colorful water thrills, find out which cruises offer this top-deck sensation for a family-friendly and exciting voyage.

Book Carnival Cruises

WaterWorks, a leading cruise adventure feature, is among Carnival Cruise Line's top-deck sensational offerings. The aquatic haven has changed the outlook of the sector to offer various amenities such as giant slides, colorful water thrills, and eye-catching special lighting. However, WaterWorks is more than merely a fun haven for the fearless! It's a spot where families can make unforgettable memories, and there's something for all ages, from little splashers to adults needing a relaxing time. This article will unravel everything about Carnival WaterWorks , its available cruises, and its features.

What is Carnival WaterWorks?

WaterWorks, which is Carnival’s aquatic adventure on the top deck, encompasses a variety of sprinklers or sprayers, fountains, gigantic dump buckets, as well as thrilling water slides. However, each ship has a bit of variation in the setup but guarantees high energy and is filled with water excitement. One can find a variety of slides at waterworks on these ships; for example, the Kaleid-O-Slide on Carnival Vista offers a spiral tube slide with a video game feel to the 450-foot “ Cat in the Hat " slide.

Note: Toddlers who are not toilet trained are restricted from using WaterWorks, and it's essential to be aware that no lifeguards are on duty in the area.

Height Requirements for Carnival WaterWorks

Different height restrictions exist for the carnival’s water slides based on the type of slide. Most slides require a minimum height of between 42 and 48 inches to ensure safety and maximum fun for every rider.

Cost of Carnival WaterWorks

The best part? WaterWorks is a complimentary experience for all passengers on Carnival Cruise ships equipped with this exciting feature. It's an inclusive aquatic adventure for everyone on board.

List of Carnival WaterWorks Ships

• Carnival Breeze
• Carnival Celebration
• Carnival Dream
• Carnival Elation
• Carnival Freedom
• Carnival Glory
• Carnival Horizon
• Carnival Legend
• Carnival Magic
• Carnival Miracle
• Carnival Panorama
• Carnival Paradise
• Carnival Pride
• Carnival Radiance
• Carnival Spirit
• Carnival Splendor
• Carnival Sunrise
• Carnival Sunshine
• Carnival Venezia
• Carnival Vista
• Carnival Mardi Gras

WaterWorks Delights for All Ages

WaterWorks provides bigger and braver kids or courageous moms and dads with gigantic slides equivalent to ocean thrill. Colored slides with extra light show assure you of a fun-filled adventure that will be both a breathtaking and stimulating experience. Also, for those who would like to get wet without riding on the rides, standing under the PowerDropper will give you a drenching experience when the bucket overhead spills its content. WaterWorks offers one hell of a splashy time for all.

Kid-Friendly Water Adventures

Even children can enjoy WaterWorks. The water slides, specially made for small kids, end with exciting splashing into the pool, which is great fun for the little ones. Carnival Cruise Line appreciates that everyone who goes on holiday should enjoy themselves equally, including children and older people, to have fun.

Beyond WaterWorks: Pools and Relaxation

Some people want to avoid experiencing giant slides or getting fully drenched all through the day. Carnival Cruise Line deals with vast pools that are conventional in style. Passengers can take a dip gently, swim laps, or enjoy the sun on the deck side. Some Carnival ships have two swimming pools that offer different choices.

One pool is located at the vessel's stern, which serves as an escape from all that busy activity. In this area, passengers could bask in beautiful views and salty winds while enjoying peace by the pool. The midship pool, which has a large screen for movies, is the center of relaxation and socializing. Soaking in the sun, water sports, and picture spots - these are guaranteed priorities within the Carnival cruise.

Related: Which are the 5 Must-Visit Water Parks on Cruise Ships ?

Carnival Cruise Line not only understands the essence of family fun but also values the need for downtime to recharge. Whether you're plunging down vibrant slides at WaterWorks, enjoying the traditional-style cruise ship pools, or seeking tranquility in the Serenity retreat, Carnival ensures a cruise experience that caters to all preferences. Ready to embark on this unique adventure ? Book your Carnival cruise now through CruiseBooking.com and set sail for a vacation where every moment is tailored to your idea of the perfect escape.

What Cruise Ships Have Flowriders?

Book Your Cruise Are you looking for a fun-filled cruise ship experience? Consider FlowRider, a unique attraction offered exclusively by Royal Caribbean. Initially developed as land-based [...]

December 22, 2023

Carnival Cruise Ships By Age: Newest to Oldest

Explore Carnival Cruises Carnival cruise line has been in service since 1972, with the first-ever cruise ship, “Mardi Gras,” sailing in March 1972. The cruise line has 27 cruises, [...]

June 26, 2024

Do Hurtigruten Cruises Include Gratuities?

Book Hurtigruten Cruises Hurtigruten is famous for its stunning coastline cruises through Norway's scenic landscape, providing a one-of-a-kind journey combining exploration, comfort, and [...]

December 12, 2023

Do Oceania Cruises Have Pools?

Book Oceania Cruises A cruise with Oceania Cruises guarantees a vacation of unparalleled luxury and leisure. One popular question from prospective passengers concerns the presence of pools on [...]

• 120-Day Tracker

Cruise Inquiry

Our cruise experts will help you to plan your perfect cruise vacation!

* I consent to receive communications by email or phone. I understand I may opt out at any time using the unsubscribe link provided in all communications. Please proceed to the Privacy Policy page or read our Terms & Conditions to understand how your data might be used.

We use cookies to enhance site functionality & browsing experience.

Carnival Cruise Line Waterslides – Everything You Need to Know (2024)

By: Author Carrie Ann Karstunen

Posted on Published: March 8, 2023  - Last updated: December 22, 2023

Carnival’s waterslides are a popular activity for kids and adults alike. Here’s what you need to know about Carnival cruise ship waterslides.

If having the best waterslides on your Carnival cruise ship will make or break your vacation (or your kids’ hearts), you’ve come to the right place!

Even if you’ve cruised on another Carnival cruise ship with a waterslide , it’s not a guarantee your next ship will feature the same slides.

In this post, I detail exactly which waterslides are offered on which Carnival ships—plus what each slide is like, who can ride them (most slides have both height and weight restrictions), and what Carnival’s safety rules are for waterslide fun.

Ready to slide? Let’s go!

A quick history of Carnival Cruise Line’s waterslides

Although waterslides are common on many of today’s large cruise ships, it wasn’t too long ago that a cruise ship waterslide was unheard of!

In 1978, Carnival was the first cruise line to offer a waterslide aboard one of its ships. The single tiny slide on the 728-passenger Festivale , akin to something you’d see at a backyard pool, required guests to climb just eleven steps to reach its top.

Twelve years later, the new Fantasy ship (later renamed Carnival Fantasy ) debuted with a full-size waterslide —the world’s first significant waterslide on a cruise ship.

You might know that cruise ships have godparents , but did you know that in 2009, nine-year-old Hailee Steberger became the cruise industry’s first waterslide godchild? She inaugurated the Twister slide aboard Carnival Dream , then the cruise line’s largest ship.

Hailee was selected from over 500 contest entrants who created drawings and essays focused on their favorite dreams.

Related: Cruise Sweepstakes You Can Enter to Win a Free Cruise!

Carnival’s waterslides today

Today, all but one ship in Carnival’s fleet features at least one full-size waterslide , and many have two or three! Most ships also offer mini slides for little cruisers.

Carnival Luminosa , a former Costa ship, is the only Carnival ship without a single waterslide on board. The Luminosa spends much of the year in the cooler climate of Alaska , where outdoor slides typically don’t get much use.

Carnival’s fleet features sixteen types of waterslides , each with its own unique personality. Cruisers can find Carnival’s waterslides on the upper decks of each ship, most often as part of the WaterWorks onboard water park.

Carnival’s signature bright-yellow Twister waterslide is offered on almost every ship in the fleet. The spiral slide is a bit different on each ship class, with a range of slide lengths from 212 to 341 feet.

On many Carnival ships, Twister is an enclosed spiral slide. However, on some older ships, the waterslide features an open design.

The only Carnival ships without a Twister waterslide are Carnival Panorama * and Carnival Luminosa .

*Both Carnival’s website and related marketing materials claim that Panorama has a Twister slide. However (I’ve sailed on Panorama ) the ship doesn’t offer this slide.

Blue Lightning

If you’re sailing on one of Carnival’s Excel-class ships ( Mardi Gras , Celebration , or Jubilee ), you’ll have the chance to experience the cruise line’s new Blue Lightning waterslide .

The 312-foot-long tube slide is a thrilling face-forward ride. Sliders zip through the enclosed slide on a mat, so don’t forget to pick up your mat at the base of the stairs before you climb up to access the slide!

Orange Thunder

Another Excel-class exclusive waterslide, Orange Thunder is a 229-foot dropdown slide found on Mardi Gras , Celebration , and Jubilee .

Thrill-seekers start by entering the slide’s rocket-shaped pod, then the floor drops out sending riders down the tube to the splash pool below.

I was originally just going to include a photo of Orange Thunder, but I found this excellent 33-second YouTube video that perfectly captures the entire experience. Click on the embedded video to experience this ride from floor drop to splashdown!

Kaleid-O-Slide

Only on Carnival Vista , Kaleid-O-Slide is a 455-foot waterslide with kaleidoscopic visual effects. Riders grab an inner tube and experience the enclosed first half of the slide (with unique multi-colored lights) before the slide opens up for some twists and turns before splashdown.

Carnival also advertises this slide for its Panorama sailings, but (I promise you!) that ship doesn’t have it. But Panorama does have some excellent waterslides—keep reading to find out about them!

The Cat’s Hat Slide

Only offered on Carnival Horizon , The Cat’s Hat is a Cat in the Hat -themed waterslide located in the Dr. Seuss WaterWorks aqua park. You’ll hop on an inner tube to ride this fairly tame 455-foot waterslide to the bottom.

The 455-foot red and white tube slide is fully enclosed for the first half of the ride, then opens up to give you a peek at the sun before depositing you into the splash zone.

Fun Things Slide

Another Seuss-themed slide unique to the Horizon , Fun Things is named after the iconic characters Thing 1 and Thing 2.

This blue-and-white enclosed spiral slide is just 300 feet long but will give you a faster, more thrilling experience.

Speedway Splash Racing Slides

Only found on Carnival Sunshine , the dual Speedway Splash Racing Slides sport a racing theme that will fuel your need for speed!

Added as part of Carnival’s Fun Ship 2.0 renovations, each 235-foot fully-enclosed slide—one green and one blue—features racing flag motifs and flashing lights. Challenge a friend and see who’s the winner on the electronic screen at the bottom!

Only on Dream-class ships ( Carnival Breeze , Dream , and Magic ), DrainPipe is an enclosed tube slide with a remarkable feature. After shooting through the slide’s twists and turns, riders are launched into a huge water-filled bowl for a final spin before exiting.

At just 104 feet long, DrainPipe is one of Carnival’s shorter waterslides. But you can definitely pick up some serious speed before you reach the bowl at the slide’s end!

The 203-foot enclosed tube slide fittingly named AquaTunnel can be found on five Carnival ships: Freedom , Glory , Radiance , Sunrise , and Venezia . The slide will also be featured on the Carnival Firenze , coming in April 2024.

This classic tunnel-style waterslide features a translucent tube that lets in sunlight, perfect for those who might be a little nervous about taking the plunge!

Green Thunder

Found only on Carnival’s Spirit-class ships ( Legend , Miracle , Pride , and Spirit ), the Green Thunder waterslide is a seriously thrilling attraction.

Similar to the Orange Thunder slides on Excel-class ships, this waterslide also begins with a floor drop—it’s not for the faint of heart!

A ride on this 187-foot slide starts with a 34’ long drop leading into a single 360 ° turn, so you can pick up some serious speed!

Green Lightning

Unique to Carnival Splendor , Green Lightning is like a combination of the Green Thunder waterslide and DrainPipe! With a floor drop leading into a freefall-style 37′ drop, riders then zoom into a slingshot curve and finish in a swirling bowl of H20.

Splendor is an older (and rather quirky) Carnival ship, so it’s not surprising that she boasts such an extraordinary waterslide!

Related: Carnival Splendor Food – Everything I Ate on My Cruise

Red Fun and Blue Fun

Carnival Panorama offers a pair of waterslides not found on any other ship in the fleet. Perhaps keeping with the Dr. Seuss theme (though the ship doesn’t have a completely Seussified WaterWorks splash park like Carnival Horizon ), Panorama offers Red Fun and Blue Fun .

As I mentioned earlier, Carnival’s website states (in several places) that Panorama offers Twister and Kaleid-O-Slide, but I can assure you they don’t exist on this ship. I’ve done both full-size waterslides on the Panorama , and they’re absolutely unique to this vessel. True to their names, they’re both super-fun!

The Blue Fun waterslide is a translucent, enclosed tube, while Red Fun starts out enclosed, then opens up to a halfpipe style for the second half of the ride. You’ll need to grab an inner tube to slide on Red Fun, while for Blue Fun you can climb right in.

Gondola Glide

Carnival’s new Gondola Glide waterslide can only be found aboard the brand’s “ Fun Italian Style ” ships: Carnival Venezia and Carnival Firenze (two of the three ships that the cruise line brought over from its sister line Costa).

The new slides feature a bowl at the end—similar to the DrainPipe slides—painted in a blue-and-yellow pattern to echo the Venetian-themed canal poles you’ll find decorating the WaterWorks splash areas on these ships.

Racing Slides

Several Carnival ships, including Dream , Elation , and Paradise also offer 82’ long double-lane racing water slides. While not as intense as the Speedway Splash Racing Slides found on Carnival Sunshine , these shorter open slides offer a fun way to battle friends for the title of fastest slider.

Mini Racer Slides

Do you have a thrill-seeking little one who’s just not tall enough for the big waterslides? Most Carnival ships offer Mini Racer Slides . You can check out the charts I’ve included below to see if your ship features Mini Racers.

These side-by-side kiddie waterslides offer the opportunity to race a friend or sibling to the bottom, or just the chance to have some “big kid” fun in the onboard water park. I’ve listed all the minimum heights to ride on Carnival’s full-size waterslides later in this article.

Related: Cruising with Kids: 19 Essential Tips for Family Cruises

Carnival’s waterslides by ship

• Carnival Breeze : Twister, DrainPipe, Mini Racers
• Carnival Celebration : Twister, Blue Lightning, Orange Thunder, Mini Racers
• Carnival Conquest : Twister
• Carnival Dream : Twister, DrainPipe, Racing Slides, Mini Racers
• Carnival Elation : Twister, Racing Slides, Mini Racers
• Carnival Freedom : Twister, AquaTunnel, Mini Racers
• Carnival Glory : Twister, AquaTunnel, Mini Racers
• Carnival Horizon : Twister, The Cat’s Hat, Fun Things, Mini Racers
• Carnival Jubilee : Twister, Blue Lightning, Orange Thunder, Mini Racers
• Carnival Legend : Twister, Green Thunder, Mini Racers
• Carnival Liberty : Twister
• Carnival Luminosa : No waterslides
• Carnival Magic : Twister, DrainPipe, Mini Racers
• Mardi Gras : Twister, Blue Lightning, Orange Thunder, Mini Racers
• Carnival Miracle : Twister, Green Thunder, Mini Racers
• Carnival Panorama : Red Fun, Blue Fun, Mini Racers
• Carnival Paradise : Twister, Racing Slides, Mini Racers
• Carnival Pride : Twister, Green Thunder
• Carnival Radiance : Twister, AquaTunnel, Mini Racers
• Carnival Spirit : Twister, Green Thunder, Mini Racers
• Carnival Splendor : Twister, Green Lightning, Mini Racers
• Carnival Sunrise : Twister, AquaTunnel, Mini Racers
• Carnival Sunshine : Twister, Speedway Splash, Mini Racers
• Carnival Valor : Twister
• Carnival Venezia: Twister, AquaTunnel, Gondola Glide
• Carnival Vista : Twister, Kaleid-O-Slide, Mini Racers

Carnival Cruise Line waterslides at-a-glance

• Twister = TW
• Blue Lightning = BL
• Orange Thunder = OT
• Kaleid-O-Slide = KS
• The Cat’s Hat = CH
• Fun Things = FT
• Speedway Splash Racing Slides = SS
• DrainPipe = DP
• AquaTunnel = AT
• Green Thunder = GT
• Green Lightning = GL
• Red Fun = RF
• Blue Fun = BF
• Gondola Glide = GG
• Racing Slides = RS
• Mini Racer Slides = MR

(The table below has a lot of info, so it’s easiest to view on desktop or a tablet. If you’re on mobile, just turn your phone sideways to make it easier to read.)

Waterslides on future Carnival ships

As of the last update, these are the upcoming Carnival ships and which waterslides they’ll have:

• Carnival Firenze (coming April 2024): Twister, AquaTunnel, Gondola Glide

Related: Carnival Cruise Line Releases New Details About Carnival Venezia

As new ships are announced and the company’s plans for new Carnival waterslides become official, I’ll update this post with all the info. Be sure to subscribe for all the latest news!

Height requirements and weight limits for Carnival Cruise Line waterslides:

For safety reasons, Carnival has established minimum heights and maximum weights for cruisers to use their ships’ onboard waterslides. Some of Carnival’s waterslides allow people who are at least 42 inches tall (that’s 3’6″ or 106.68 cm) to ride, while others require riders to be at least 48 inches tall (that’s 4′ or 121.92 cm).

Potential riders who look to be close to the minimum height requirement will need to stand next to the measuring board before getting the OK to ride.

Carnival’s maximum weight for guests looking to use the waterslides also varies by type of slide. The cruise line doesn’t offer any waterslides where passengers over 300 pounds (136.08 kg) are allowed to ride. Five of their waterslide types have a weight cap of 265 pounds (120.2 kg).

You can find the minimum height and maximum weight for each of Carnival’s waterslides in the table below:

Hours and rules for Carnival’s waterslides

Carnival’s waterslides are usually open from 9 AM until sunset. Once onboard, check the HUB app for specific hours on your sailing.

General rules of conduct for Carnival’s waterslides

• No lifeguard on duty
• Use the pool at your own risk
• Showers are required prior to use
• Parents are responsible for their children
• No children in diapers or who are not toilet-trained
• Take children on frequent bathroom breaks
• Watch your step on wet surfaces
• Use the ladder and handrails to enter and exit the pool
• Do not use if you are experiencing diarrhea, vomiting, or fever
• No running, horseplay, jumping, or diving
• No glass containers, eating or smoking

It’s a good idea to check the regulations for each slide—some have specific rules (for example, don’t uncross your legs, single riders only, or guests with specific health conditions shouldn’t ride).

Carnival Cruise Line waterslides FAQ

Do all Carnival ships have a waterslide?

All Carnival ships except  Carnival Luminosa  have at least one waterslide.

Are waterslides free on Carnival cruise ships?

Carnival’s waterslides are free of charge to ride.

How tall do you need to be to ride a Carnival cruise ship waterslide?

To use Carnival’s waterslides, riders must be at least 42″ tall (some slides have a 48″ height requirement). Mini Racer Slides for kids don’t have a minimum height.

What is the weight limit on Carnival waterslides?

To use most of Carnival’s waterslides, riders must weigh 300 pounds or less. Some of the cruise line’s slides have a lower maximum weight of 265 pounds.

Are swim diapers allowed on Carnival’s waterslides?

Swim diapers (and children who aren’t toilet trained) are prohibited on Carnival’s waterslides.

When are Carnival’s waterslides open?

Which do you think is the best Carnival waterslide? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

More resources for your Carnival cruise

• Ultimate Guide to Room Service on Carnival Cruise Line With Menus
• Carnival Cruise Line Drink Packages: The Ultimate Guide
• How to Get Onboard Credit for Owning Carnival Stock
• Faster to the Fun: The Ultimate Guide to Carnival’s Skip-the-Line Pass

Liked this post? Pin it for later!

• Recent Posts

• Carnival Cruise Line Salutes Military Women During Inaugural Fleet Week in Miami - May 10, 2024
• Holland America’s Culinary Teams Will Be Alaska Seafood University Certified - May 9, 2024
• Carnival’s Celebration Key Construction Empowering Grand Bahamian Workforce - May 8, 2024

Related posts:

Cruise Deals Expert

WaterWorks slide

The race was on, and other family-friendly cruise lines began construction and retro-fitting of cruise ships to lure the new passenger demographic. In 2009, Carnival Cruise Line introduced us to WaterWorks on Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Dream. Every ship is different, and the WaterWorks configuration varies on Carnival vessels, but the experience is now enjoyed by cruisers on many Carnival ships around the world.

WaterWorks is available on: Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Fascination, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Legend , Carnival Magic, Carnival Sensation, Carnival Spirit and Carnival Sunshine.

Legs in slide at WaterWorks

Summer vacations will never be the same again. It seems every child in the world has at one time or another begged and pleaded with parents to visit Disneyland. Just wait until they find out about the Carnival WaterWorks theme-park style experience. Cruising has changed forever, and kids are now part of the deal.

Not every cruise line has jumped onboard the family cruising revolution though. The majority of cruisers are still mature age, and more middle aged and younger couples are experiencing the pleasure of cruising. Cruise lines such as P&O and Cunard cater admirably to the mature and adults-only theme, meaning the ideal cruise style is available for everyone; couples, families, singles and groups. It’s no wonder cruising is more popular than ever.

Family at WaterWorks

WaterWorks has taken the cruise industry by storm, with facilities that include giant slides for bigger and braver kids (or mums and dads). The slides are colourful and include special lighting effects. If you want to get wet without the slide, try standing under the PowerDrencher and get soaked when the enormous bucket of water spills from above. Smaller children are also welcome at WaterWorks, and have their own much smaller water slides that end with a splash.

Not everyone wants to ride giant slides and get completely soaked all day long, although with cruises that take in some of the best tropical destinations it’s certainly an option. For those who prefer a more sedate experience, Carnival ships have large traditional style cruise ship pools where taking a gentle dip, swimming laps, or simply lounging deck-side are seriously serene options.

Carnival Fantasy WaterWorks

In fact, some Carnival ships have two pools. Toward the back of the ship, away from the noisy action, is the aft pool where you will appreciate the view and catch invigorating sea breezes. The midship pool is ideally located as a meeting place or relaxation zone and also features the big screen for viewing recent release movies. Soaking up the sun, enjoying water-sports and visiting idyllic destinations is what Carnival is all about.

Carnival understands that a family vacation should be fun. They also understand that parents and guardians need down-time to recharge. The Serenity adults-only retreat is just the place where you can get away from all the excitement and wind down in a swaying hammock, relax on comfy outdoor seating, enjoy a tasty cocktail, or simply read that book you’ve been saving for the voyage.

After a day of thrills and spills at WaterWorks the kids will be ready for a good nights sleep, and you might be ready to

Carnival Pride WaterWorks

Carnival Dream Waterworks

Carnival Sunshine WaterWorks

Robert Grant

Loves cruise tips and cruise ships. Shares his personal opinion about cruise deals and cruise tips that might help other travellers. Do let me know if you'd like to read more about certain cruise related topics.

Related Posts

How much does a cruise ship cost to build?

Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas

Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Port Overview
• Transportation to the Port
• Uber & Lyft to the Port
• Dropping Off at the Port
• Cruise Parking
• Cruise Hotels
• Hotels with Parking Deals
• Uber & Lyft to the Ports
• Things to Do
• Cozumel Taxi Rates
• Free Things to Do
• Restaurants Near the Cruise Port
• Hotels & Resorts With Day Passes
• Closest Beaches to the Cruise Port
• Tips For Visiting
• Shore Excursions
• Cruise Parking Discounts
• Hotels with Shuttles
• Which Airport Should I Use?
• Transportation to the Ports
• Dropping Off at the Ports
• Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami
• Inexpensive Hotels
• Hotels near the Port
• Hotels With Shuttles
• Budget Hotels
• Carnival Tips
• Drink Packages
• Specialty Restaurants
• Faster to the Fun
• More Articles
• CocoCay Tips
• Norwegian Tips
• Great Stirrup Cay
• Harvest Caye
• How to Get the Best Cruise Deal
• Best Time to Book a Cruise
• Best Websites to Book a Cruise
• Cruises Under $300
• Cruises Under $500
• Spring Break Cruise Deals
• Summer Cruise Deals
• Alaskan Cruise Deals
• 107 Cruise Secrets & Tips
• Tips for First-Time Cruisers
• What to Pack for a Cruise
• What to Pack (Alaska)
• Packing Checklist
• Cruising with Kids
• Passports & Birth Certificates
• Bringing Alcohol
• Cruising with a Disability
• Duty-Free Shopping
• Cruise Travel Insurance
• Things to Do on a Cruise Ship
• What Not to Do on a Ship
• News & Articles

Carnival Freedom Boasts New Waterpark (And More) Following Refurb

If you’re sailing from Galveston aboard the Carnival Freedom in the coming months, then you’re going to get more from the ship than you originally thought. That’s because Carnival Freedom just emerged from a multi-million-dollar renovation this month, debuting a new waterpark, plus new restaurants.

The latest Carnival upgrade means Freedom passengers can now enjoy Carnival’s signature WaterWorks park. This includes the 203-foot-long enclosed slide, AquaTunnel, and the 212-foot-long Twister waterslide. Other newly added water features include the 75-gallon PowerDrencher tipping bucket and SplashZone designed for kids.

Freedom guests seeking a dryer form of onboard fun can take advantage of a nine-hole miniature golf course, moved to deck eleven. Plus, the ship gained a new dining option: Bonsai Express sushi, a casual version of Carnival’s popular Bonsai Sushi restaurant serving sushi, sashimi, and rolls. Also, Freedom now offers a rebranded deli on deck nine. Guests seeking some onboard retail therapy now have expanded options, including a new Carnival Adventures shop with Carnival-branded gear.

And what about the classic made popular on Carnival like Guy’s Burger Joint? The Conquest-class Freedom continues to showcase these popular Carnival attractions added during its last refurbishment. That includes the family-friendly Seuss at Sea program, as well as BlueIguana Cantina, Guy’s Burger Joint, Punchliner Comedy Club, Alchemy Bar, and RedFrog Pub.

Following its 3-week makeover in the Bahamas, Freedom has returned to its homeport in Galveston. The ship will sail six- and seven-day Caribbean cruises to Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Belize, and Mexico.

Freedom, which debuted in 2007, is the third Carnival vessel to receive upgrades in 2019. Carnival Fantasy and Carnival Pride were renovated earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Carnival’s $2 billion fleetwide renovation Fun Ship 2.0 continues with more ships receiving major renovations. For example, Carnival Triumph recently entered drydock in Cadiz, Spain, and will emerge with a new name. As Carnival Sunrise, the vessel will sail out of Norfolk, Virginia beginning in late April.

Have you experienced any of Carnival’s most recently upgraded ships yet? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

Popular: 39 Useful Things to Pack (17 You Wouldn't Think Of)

Read next: park & cruise hotels for every port in america, popular: 107 best cruise tips, secrets, tricks, and freebies, related articles more from author, carnival’s celebration key price list (cabanas, daybeds, and more), no, your carnival drink package won’t work on celebration key, carnival reveals adults-only beach club at celebration key (with a hefty price tag), carnival orders three new ships… that will be among the biggest in the world, 47 best carnival cruise line tips & tricks for your next cruise, carnival cruise casino guide: what to know before you play, leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Chart: See the Dramatic Rise in the Size of Cruise Ships

44 things never to do on a cruise ship, why cruise loyalty programs shouldn’t matter to (most) passengers, hotels with cruise shuttles for every major port in america, 107 best cruise tips, tricks, secrets, and freebies, 39 useful things to pack for your cruise (including 17 you’d never think of).

• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions

Which Carnival Cruise Ship Has the Best Water Slides?

By Robert Palmer

If you’re looking for a cruise ship with the best water slides, then Carnival Cruise Lines has probably got your back. With their ships offering some of the most exhilarating water slide experiences available, it’s no wonder why Carnival is a favorite among cruisers. The range of slides can vary from ship to ship, but all of them offer plenty of entertainment for both adults and children alike.

Carnival Breeze is one of the best ships in Carnival’s fleet when it comes to water slides. The ‘Green Thunder’ slide is a must-try for those looking for an adrenaline rush.

It takes riders on a thrilling ride through a series of twists and turns before dropping them into a pool at the end. There are also two other slides – ‘Twister’ and ‘Breeze Racer’ – that provide plenty of excitement and will keep you entertained throughout your cruise.

Carnival Vista is another great option when it comes to Carnival Cruise Lines’ water slides. This ship has four different slides for guests to choose from – the ‘Splash Zone’, ‘Slide City’, ‘Tidal Wave’, and the ‘SeaVenture’.

Slide City offers two fast-paced tube rides, while Tidal Wave is an 80-foot drop slide that plunges riders into a pool at the bottom. SeaVenture is an aqua coaster ride that drops riders through tunnels and curves as they make their way down the slide.

Carnival Horizon has four incredible water slides for guests to enjoy as well, including three tube rides and one body slide. The tube rides include the ‘Rainforest Rapids’, which takes riders on a wild journey through dark tunnels and unexpected drops; ‘Tropical Storm’, which features several thrilling twists; and ‘Riptide Racer’, which pits guests against each other in a race down the slide towards the finish line. Finally, there’s also the ‘SkyEye’ body slide – an open-air ride with banked turns, wide curves, and an exhilarating drop at the end!

Conclusion:

10 Related Question Answers Found

What carnival cruise ship has the most water slides, which cruise ship has the best water slides, what cruise ship has the best water slides, which cruise ship has the most water slides, which cruise ship has water slides, what cruise ship has the most water slides, what cruise ship has the biggest water slide, which cruise ship has a water slide, what disney cruise ship has a water slide, which cruise ship has the longest water slide, backpacking - budget travel - business travel - cruise ship - vacation - tourism - resort - cruise - road trip - destination wedding - tourist destination - best places, london - madrid - paris - prague - dubai - barcelona - rome.

© 2024 LuxuryTraveldiva

• Onboard Activities
• All Onboard Activities
• Carnival WaterWorks

AVAILABLE ON

• Carnival Splendor Current Element Number 1 of 20
• Carnival Breeze Current Element Number 2 of 20
• Carnival Celebration Current Element Number 3 of 20
• Carnival Dream Current Element Number 4 of 20
• Carnival Elation Current Element Number 5 of 20
• Carnival Freedom Current Element Number 6 of 20
• Carnival Glory Current Element Number 7 of 20
• Carnival Horizon Current Element Number 8 of 20
• Carnival Legend Current Element Number 9 of 20
• Carnival Magic Current Element Number 10 of 20
• Carnival Miracle Current Element Number 11 of 20
• Carnival Panorama Current Element Number 12 of 20
• Carnival Paradise Current Element Number 13 of 20
• Carnival Pride Current Element Number 14 of 20
• Carnival Radiance Current Element Number 15 of 20
• Carnival Spirit Current Element Number 16 of 20
• Carnival Sunrise Current Element Number 17 of 20
• Carnival Sunshine Current Element Number 18 of 20
• Carnival Vista Current Element Number 19 of 20
• Mardi Gras Current Element Number 20 of 20

COMING SOON TO

• Carnival Firenze Current Element Number 1 of 2
• Carnival Venezia Current Element Number 2 of 2

* Coming Soon

Carnival Waterworks ™

Make your way to Carnival WaterWorks™, the family-friendly onboard waterpark of Carnival Cruise Line, for the ultimate aquatic adventure. Kick things off with Carnival’s Twister Waterslide™ , a thrilling water coaster that promises one of the most exhilarating experiences you can find on a cruise ship. Alternatively, you can brave the epic plunge from our Green Lightning slide slide for the perfect storm on the best cruise ship (note: WaterWorks features may vary by ship).

But the fun doesn't stop there! Our aqua park is just one of the many family cruise activities onboard to add to your itineraries. Keep the cruise ship water fun going with our popular pools and dive-in movies . Or, try our mini golf course or explore our dining options. We also offer a variety of indoor activities for children of all ages, including Camp Ocean and our fitness centre .

The Details

If you like this, you'll love these....

Carnival Valor Water Slide Pictures

• 5 Promenade
• 10 Panorama
• Click here for ALL
• Small Interior
• Interior with Picture Window
• Scenic Oceanview
• Premium Balcony
• Ocean Suite
• Grand Suite
• Captains Suite
• Ship info and tracking
• Cabin Check

This page shows actual pictures for Carnival Valor Water Slide. Most of our pictures are contributed by actual cruisers. You will find that all the Carnival Valor Water Slide pictures on this page also posted directly onto our deck plans near the actual location the photo was taken. You can browse the pictures here or you can click on them as you are viewing the Carnival Valor deck plans. For deck plan viewing click on the ship button above or scroll down to view the pictures on this page.

Scroll down for pictures

Water slide.

Water Slide Waterslide that starts on the Sky deck and ends on the Panorama deck near Dolphin pool . It is a 214 foot long spiraling water tube slide. Note the slide does not end in the pool.

• Number of pictures: 11

Water Slide pictures

Water Slide Location

Carnival Valor Water Slide is located on Panorama (deck). We have provided the deck plan image for your reference.

• Links to Public Areas on Carnival Valor
• Click Here to go back to SHIP PICS page
• Alchemy Bar  -Promenade (8 pictures in photo gallery.)
• American Lobby  -Lobby (56 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Argonaut Pool  -Lido (26 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Blue Iguana Cantina  -Lido (5 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Blue Iguana Tequila Bar  -Lido (3 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Camp Carnival  -Sun (7 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Cherry on Top  -Promenade (5 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Circle C  -Atlantic (2 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Club O2  -Atlantic (4 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Dolphin Pool  -Panorama (5 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Dream Bar  -Promenade (2 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Eagles Aft Lounge  -Promenade (14 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Exterior Deck  -Lobby (1 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Fish & Chips  -Panorama (1 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Formalities  -Promenade (0 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Guys Burger Joint  -Lido (4 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Iliad Library  -Atlantic (5 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Ivanhoe Theater  -Atlantic (26 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Ivanhoe Theater  -Lobby (26 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Ivanhoe Theater  -Promenade (26 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Java Cafe  -Promenade (6 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Jeannes Wine Bar  -Promenade (2 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Jogging Track  -Spa (6 pictures in photo gallery.)
• King Boulevard  -Promenade (10 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Laundry Room  -Riviera (1 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Lincoln Dining Room  -Atlantic (27 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Lincoln Dining Room  -Lobby (27 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Lindy Hop Piano Bar  -Promenade (10 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Mini Golf  -Sun (5 pictures in photo gallery.)
• One Small Step Dance Club  -Promenade (6 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Outside Deck  -Panorama (8 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Outside Promenade  -Atlantic (2 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Panorama Deck  -Panorama (10 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Paris Hot Bar  -Promenade (14 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Prometheus Pool  -Lido (10 pictures in photo gallery.)
• RedFrog Pub  -Promenade (14 pictures in photo gallery.)
• RedFrog Rum Bar  -Lido (5 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Rosies Restaurant  -Lido (27 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Scarletts Steakhouse  -Panorama (0 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Seaside Theater  -Panorama (6 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Serenity  -Sky (10 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Serenity  -Sun (10 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Shogun Club Casino  -Promenade (19 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Skybox Sports Bar  -Promenade (12 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Spa and Fitness Center  -Spa (4 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Sushi Bar  -Promenade (1 pictures in photo gallery.)
• The Fun Shops  -Promenade (25 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Video Arcade  -Promenade (5 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Washington Dining Room  -Atlantic (26 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Washington Dining Room  -Lobby (26 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Water Slide  -Panorama (11 pictures in photo gallery.)
• Winstons Cigar Bar  -Atlantic (3 pictures in photo gallery.)

CRUISEDECKPLANS.COM Use the input buttons above to go to the main page for a Cruise Ship or Cruise Line.

• Today's Deals
• Sign Up & Save!

• Top Cruise Destinations
• Alaska Cruises
• Bahamas Cruises
• Bermuda Cruises
• Caribbean Cruises
• Europe Cruises
• Mexico Cruises
• 1.800.764.7419

Never Miss a Cruise Deal

• Thank you for signing up! 
• Click here to learn more about our specials.

Have Fun. Be Safe

• Health Protocols and Requirements for Sailing

Travel Documentation and Online Check-in

• Travel Documents
• Online Check-In

Getting There

• Cruise Terminal Information and Parking
• Airport and Pier Transportation
• Air Information

Before You Board

• Embarkation Day Check-In

Youth and Family

• Youth Programs (Under 2 and 2-11 years old)
• Teen Programs (12-17 years old)
• Carnival's Seuss at Sea
• Age Policies

Things to Know

Onboard experiences.

• Shore - Excursions
• Spa and Fitness
• Outdoor Fun
• Entertainment and Activities
• For Your Convenience
• Onboard Guidelines and Policies
• Past Guest Recognition Programs

Onboard Celebrations

• The Fun Shops
• Special Occasions
• Wedding Cruises and Vow Renewals

Dining and Beverages

• Dining and Snacking Options
• Dining Rooms
• CHEERS! Beverage Program
• Liquor and Beverage Policy

Onboard Communication

• WI FI Service and Carnivals HUB App
• Staying Connected

Money and Gratuities

• Gratuities (Tips)
• Sail & Sign Onboard Account
• Forms of Payment
• Cruise Cash/Bar/Photo
• Financial Access

Shipboard Health and Safety

• Passenger Bill of Rights
• Guest Screening Policy
• Safety and Security
• Safety Briefing - Muster Station Drill
• General Health Information
• Privacy Notice
• What to Pack
• Cruise Ticket Contract
• Carnival Vacation Protection
• Guests with Disabilities
• Choosing Your Cruise
• Tech Support
• Early Saver Promotion
• Minors / Infants / Pregnancy
• Making changes to your booking
• Carnival EasyPay
• Financing Powered by Uplift
• US Department of State Travel Tips
• And more things to know....

Debarkation - After Your Cruise

• Preparing to Go Home
• Post Cruise Inquiries

Onboard Water

Shipboard potable water (drinking, bathing, whirlpools, etc.) either comes from a shoreside water treatment plant or is generated on board from seawater via Reverse Osmosis systems or Evaporators. Swimming pool water is typically seawater.

Our potable water is regulated by the Centers for Disease Control U.S Public Health Service Vessel Sanitation Program (CDC-USPH-VSP). Among various other requirements, the water on board is halogenated to USPH standards, regardless of where/how the water is obtained.

Additional requirements must be followed to maintain whirlpool and swimming pool sanitation. As per USPH, Chlorine levels need to be between 3-10mg. The water is drained out and loaded a few times during the cruise but it may depend on restrictions the ship is subject to as far where and when they can discharge water into the sea. It cannot be done in the home ports so it is typically done before arrival, if the itinerary permits. .

USPH inspects each of our vessels twice per year to ensure compliance with these standards as well as other USPH requirements. These inspections are publically available on the CDC’s website.

Was this answer helpful?

Answers others found helpful.

• Bottled Water
• Water Shuttle Ports
• WaterParks | Pools | Hot Tub Spas

PLAN A CRUISE

• Search Cruises
• Travel Agent Finder
• Weddings & Occasions

• Carnival Mastercard
• Away We Go Blog

Group Travel

• Group Shore Excursions

Already Booked

• Manage My Cruises
• Shore Excursions
• In-Room Gifts & Shopping
• Spa & Salon Services
• Internet Plans
• Beverage Packages

• Airport Transportation

Customer Service

• Have Fun. Be Safe.
• Early Saver Price Protection Form
• Lowest Price Guarantee
• Post-Cruise Inquiries
• Legal Notices for EU & UK Guests
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

About Carnival

• Passenger Bill Of Rights

• Legal Notices  
• Privacy & Cookies  
• Site Map  

• © Carnival Corporation. All rights reserved.

• Carnival's New Class of Cruise Ships to Be Their Biggest Ever
• Carnival Cruise Line Takes Delivery of Celebration
• Icon of the Seas - Introduction & Big Reveals
• Carnival Reveals The Gateway For New Ship Celebration
• Carnival Cruise Line Grand Bahama Port Breaks Ground

Top 10 Cruise Ship Water Slides

We’re counting down the Top 10 Cruise Ship Water Slides that’ll have you slip-sliding your way to the wettest, wild fun at sea.

As more cruise ships are raising the bar on exciting things to do onboard, we’ve seen an explosion of new water parks and slides from just about every major family-focused cruise line. Not only have we seen these watery wonderlands coming onboard new ships, but many dry dock refurbishments include major redesigns to include some incredible new attractions.

Highlighting the best of the best, we present our list of the Top 10 Cruise Ship Water Slides.

(10) Vertigo

MSC Cruises has been adding bigger and better water parks to each of their ships in recent years. At 394 feet, Vertigo onboard MSC Preziosa is one of the longest water slides at sea. Snaking around the ship’s funnel, this slide features great lighting effects, a 30 foot clear section over the side of the ship and 42 feet of drop from start to finish.

(9) Speedway Splash

Onboard Carnival Sunshine, you’ll enjoy one of the biggest Carnival WaterWorks in the fleet. Carnival guests are used to fun water slides, but when Carnival Destiny was transformed into Carnival Sunshine in 2013, the cruise line went big on the splashing thrills and chills. Along with the signature twister waterslide, Speedway Splash puts riders head-to-head in a timed race. The dual 235-foot long slides feature quick turns, lighting effects and even checkered flag sections to amp up the competitive fun of challenging friends and family to splashing speed superiority.

(8) Supercell

Royal Caribbean has been pulling out the stops to introduce some of the most exciting and unique water slides at sea. While Supercell is not the first champagne bowl slide on a cruise ship, it certainly takes the experience up a few notches. It starts with a long walk up to the loading platform where you’ll get an incredible view over the ship. From the moment you enter the transparent tube, you’ll get the sensation of height as you’re briefly suspended 10 decks above Central Park. Available on Harmony of the Seas, Symphony of the Seas and recently amped-up Oasis of the Seas, Supercell is fast with quick turns, before you get shot out into the bowl, plunge down the drain and into the landing pad.

(7) AquaDuck

As the first of its kind at sea when introduced and found onboard Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, AquaDuck is part water coaster, part lazy river, taking guests on a thrilling wet and wild ride. Starting from within the ship’s aft funnel, riders make their way over the side of the ship on a two-person raft, then get propelled through two water jet incline sections, before shooting down the clear tube through the forward funnel and back around the other side of the ship all while enjoying incredible views.

(6) Green Thunder

The menacing drop slide Green Thunder, found onboard Carnival Spirit, Pride, Legend & Miracle takes the thrill factor way up as it plummets you way down. The 187-foot-long slide pulls the floor from under its riders and drops them 34 feet while reaching speeds of up to 25 mph. Blasting through the inside of the green translucent tube, it ends with splashing jolt. The ride on Green Thunder is quick, but the sensation will linger.

(5) Riptide

Face the awesome thrills head-on with Riptide , cruising’s only headfirst mat racer, added to Navigator of the Seas during her massive 2019 amplification. While riding belly-down on a thin mat, Riptide puts riders closer to the water, so close in fact, that they’ll feel the lightly stinging water spray on their face all the way down to an exhilarating finish through a translucent tube.

(4) AquaDunk

Exclusive to Disney Magic, the AquaDunk plunges guests on a fast and wild ride. The countdown to fun begins in 3, 2, 1 before the floor drops sending riders over the edge of the ship and through 212 feet of twisting slippery slide, finishing with a super soaking splashdown.

(3) Tidal Wave

The one and only boomerang slide at sea, Tidal Wave, found onboard Liberty of the Seas, is perfect for adventure seekers. Tidal Wave features a steep drop that sends riders up a near vertical wall for a moment of weightlessness then backwards into free fall and splashdown.

(2) Ocean Loops

Norwegian Cruise Line has improved upon the already exciting drop slide, with Ocean Loops. Found onboard Norwegian Joy, Bliss and Encore, Ocean Loops starts with the nerve-racking uncertainly of when will you drop, then you hit the mind-shaking double loops while flying over the side of the ship through the clear tube sections high above the oceans’ surface. Is that vertigo setting in?

(1) The Blaster

Combining the wet with the wild, Navigator of the Seas main attraction water slide, The Blaster, is the first aqua coaster onboard Royal Caribbean and the longest slide at sea.. Grab your two-person raft and ride the more than 800 feet of water blasting inclines, heart-pounding drops and tight turns while you crisscross in and around the sports deck below.

Do you have a favorite water slide at sea? Let us know in the comments.

Also Read: The Best of the Best: Cruise Ship Activities

• Carnival Cruise Lines

Age, height and weight limit question about water slides

By Mybearsbaby , February 24, 2017 in Carnival Cruise Lines

Recommended Posts

Mybearsbaby

Hi! Does anyone know of hand if there is a weight limit, and if so, what it is for the water slides onboard (Specifically, Carnival Sunshine)? I'm a bigger gal. :loudcry: Working on losing some weight, but I dont have much more time. Please no rude comments regarding people's size. I am a plus size girl. I know it. I'm trying hard to remedy it. In the meantime, I want to know if I will be able to do some of the fun things offered.

Also, my son wants to do the slides. Anyone know the height or age that they allow youngsters to slide?

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

Hi! Does anyone know of hand if there is a weight limit, and if so, what it is for the water slides onboard (Specifically, Carnival Sunshine)? I'm a bigger gal. :loudcry: Working on losing some weight, but I dont have much more time. Please no rude comments regarding people's size. I am a plus size girl. I know it. I'm trying hard to remedy it. In the meantime, I want to know if I will be able to do some of the fun things offered.   Also, my son wants to do the slides. Anyone know the height or age that they allow youngsters to slide?

I got the following from Carnival

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1122/~/policies-for-shipboard-water-sports

Speedway Splash Racing Slides

Ship : Carnival Sunshine

• Guest must be 42 inches in height.
• The slides are separate from the pool.

Mini Racer Slides for Children

Ships : Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Legend, Carnival Magic, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Spirit and Carnival Vista

• The slides are separate from the pool

Waterslide Policies

• The minimum height of the guest is determined by the manufacturer for the safety of the guest using the equipment.
• If under 13 years old, must have their parents' permission
• Multiple riders are not permitted
• There are no weight restrictions but guest must be able to fit through the enclosed slide
• Bathing suits must be worn
• Swimwear with exposed zippers, buckles, rivets or metal ornamentation not permitted
• Eye glasses must be securely affixed to riders with head straps
• Jewelry and accessories should be removed before using the slide
• No floatation devices may be worn or carried on the slide
• Children who are not toilet trained (and those in diapers or swim diapers) are not allowed in any of the water facilities onboard, as per United States Public Health Services. This includes the Kiddie slides. Toilet trained children should be taken on frequent bathroom breaks.
• The slide is not recommended if there are any physical limitations, impairments, under the influence of alcohol or under a doctor’s care.
• Guest must use the slide on his/her back, feet first. No sitting, standing, or turning around on the slide in order to face forward.
• Do not attempt to slow down, stop, twist or rotate your body
• Exit landing area immediately after going down the slide
• Follow attendant’s instructions and proceed only when instructed
• Follow all rules and instructions to avoid injury to you and others
• Use slide at your own risk

I got the following from Carnival   https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1122/~/policies-for-shipboard-water-sports     Speedway Splash Racing Slides Ship : Carnival Sunshine Guest must be 42 inches in height. The slides are separate from the pool. Mini Racer Slides for Children Ships : Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Legend, Carnival Magic, Carnival Sunshine, Carnival Spirit and Carnival Vista The slides are separate from the pool Waterslide Policies The minimum height of the guest is determined by the manufacturer for the safety of the guest using the equipment. If under 13 years old, must have their parents' permission Multiple riders are not permitted There are no weight restrictions but guest must be able to fit through the enclosed slide Bathing suits must be worn Swimwear with exposed zippers, buckles, rivets or metal ornamentation not permitted Eye glasses must be securely affixed to riders with head straps Jewelry and accessories should be removed before using the slide No floatation devices may be worn or carried on the slide Children who are not toilet trained (and those in diapers or swim diapers) are not allowed in any of the water facilities onboard, as per United States Public Health Services. This includes the Kiddie slides. Toilet trained children should be taken on frequent bathroom breaks. The slide is not recommended if there are any physical limitations, impairments, under the influence of alcohol or under a doctor’s care. Guest must use the slide on his/her back, feet first. No sitting, standing, or turning around on the slide in order to face forward. Do not attempt to slow down, stop, twist or rotate your body Exit landing area immediately after going down the slide Follow attendant’s instructions and proceed only when instructed Follow all rules and instructions to avoid injury to you and others Use slide at your own risk

Thank you! This is what I needed! :)

Now...have any bigger guys and gals used the slide? I don't want people to cringe in horror as I get on the slide. 😳 😂

I don't know your details, nor do I need to know. It's not my business. But the one time I did this on a Carnival ship, I was of the roundish persuasion...about 5'7" and I'd say around 230 pounds...ok, I'm still of the roundish persuasion, just haven't felt the desire to do the slides since. Anyway, I had no one try to prohibit me, nor did I see any signage prohibiting me, from enjoying the slides. I hope you can enjoy sliding on your next cruise.

As to your son, If memory serves, I think I have seen signs that say something like you have to be of a certain height. I don't know if a minimum weight or age is specified...perhaps someone else can inform us.

My husband and I are in are 60's and we're too old to care what other people think. We love going on the waterslides and we are "roundish" too. On our last cruise, we stayed on the ship in one of the ports (Freeport) and the waterslides were practically empty! We go even when there are a bunch of kids, but it was nice to have the slides to ourselves that day.

I've been down all the slides on the Dream many times and I'm not a small person, and I have seen all shapes and sizes enjoy the slides!! Go for it!

Speedway Splash has a posted limit of 265 lbs. I believe Twister (the yellow slide) is 300 lbs.

Sent from my eye phone using Forums FFS

I don't care what people think. I'm there to have fun! And my feeling is that if I'm wearing age and weight appropriate swim wear, no one is looking at the mom of 3 kids. Now, if I was wearing a string bikini with this body......I'd be getting looks. I can't wait to try the slide!

NOTE - the slide is only open on Port Days when the ship docked - on our first cruise, my brother and I were the last ones down on the very last port day.

My father laughed very hard at his "big kids." I can only imagine what it looked like to have seen two grown ups racing up the steps as we returned from our excursion!

(at the time) My 32 year old self size 16, and my brother 28 at 6'4" about 250 did the water slide as a race. He won, and he reminds me occasionally. His wife has some issue with heights and chose not to try the slide. When you think about it though, the top of the slide is probably the highest point the passengers can access.

DO IT!   NOTE - the slide is only open on Port Days when the ship docked - on our first cruise, my brother and I were the last ones down on the very last port day.

Is this true on all of the ships or only the Sushine? Why would they close the slides when not in port?

The slides were open 9-5 daily, although on my cruise this past we'll on the Sunshine we had some high winds that closed the ropes course - I'd imagine that would apply to the slides as well.

Coincidentally are port calls all fell between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM - some were shorter, but we were always back on the sea by 5:00 PM.

The slides were open 9-5 daily, although on my cruise this past we'll on the Sunshine we had some high winds that closed the ropes course - I'd imagine that would apply to the slides as well

That would make more sense. I'd hate to think that they would close the slides on days when they have the biggest crowd.

ok I am 6ft2 and on the Breeze and the Magic I did both water slides and I weighed in at about 340lbs at that time. I know someone who weighed more than me that did it on the magic as well. enjoy the slide and don't worry about it.

• 1 month later...

Having got off the Magic a couple weeks ago I can tell you there IS in fact a weight limit.. How ever it is not posted at the bottom, Noooo they make you walk up 5 flights of stairs just to look you over and say "sorry sir, 300 pound limit" I how ever insisted that after walking up them stairs there was only one way I was going back down, so they gave me a one time ( i look over there and you jump in) pass.

I have been on the slides in the past (been a while) but I don't remember seeing the signs (may not of had them last time I went on slide). I am a FLUFFY guy myself. Just go and have fun.

As someone mentioned earlier being fluffy I don't go out there dressed in a way I should not be lol. No speedo for me, I don't want burning out peoples retina's with that eyeful on my conscious. :)

Slides are open at sea. Don't listen to them. Unless it's windy for safety its closed

Do it and have fun!

I myself am 6'8" 330lbs (I wear it well) did speed racer many times. As well as Green Thunder on the Pride which had a 300lb limit

The slide can withstand Hurricane winds and harsh sea conditions. It can easily hold a human.

Thank you! This is what I needed! :)   Now...have any bigger guys and gals used the slide? I don't want people to cringe in horror as I get on the slide. 😳 😂

I've seen some big ole boys use the slide! You will be fine. Go and have a good time. Bigger people make big splashes and the kids love that;)

Thank you for asking a question that I myself have been wondering about... I always wondered if I did a slide would I get stuck and how would they get me out if I'm stuck? It's a weird phobia but I just don't want to end up like this... lol

Ok in all seriousness has anyone ever gotten stuck in one of these and how did they get them out?

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Gamecock_Cruiser

Here are my thoughts, I don't care what these people think, and It will be very unlikely that I will ever see them again, so go for it. I'm close to the slide limit and 6'2", so I still enjoy the water slides since I'm a kid at heart. I can not wait to try the clear slide on the Glory in May!

Thank you for asking a question that I myself have been wondering about... I always wondered if I did a slide would I get stuck and how would they get me out if I'm stuck? It's a weird phobia but I just don't want to end up like this... lol     Ok in all seriousness has anyone ever gotten stuck in one of these and how did they get them out?     Sent from my iPad using Forums

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I LOVE that pic;p

To answer the original poster, DO IT! :) Seriously, we've been on 10 cruises in the past 6 years and spend the majority of our time at the waterslides because my kids love them and never run out of energy. We have seen people of all ages and sizes on the slides.

To answer the question above, I am a healthy weight and size, and have never been officially stuck (or seen anyone who has been) BUT there has been periods on the slide when I was not moving and had to push my way down. Some slides, the bigger you are, the slower you move. However, sometimes it is the opposite.

• 1 year later...

120kg limit. Pounds schmounds. Get with the modern world usa.;)

kona_wahine

I’m 57 and roundish. I find a blue margarita helps with courage. I really don’t care what others think. I guess that’s what great about carnival, it’s the fun ship.

Treyatl2006

Please don't criticize yourself! YOu are on vacation and there to have a GREAT time!!! Who give a crap what people say! If anyone comments they are the ones that have issues! Just go and enjoy your time and eat and drink all you want!!! That's what vacation is about! Making memories!

I did, and we had a blast! Thank so so much for your kind words!

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in

• Welcome to Cruise Critic
• Special Event: Q&A with John Waggoner, Founder & CEO Victory Cruise Lines
• Hurricane Zone 2024
• Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com Summer 2024
• New Cruisers
• Cruise Lines “A – O”
• Cruise Lines “P – Z”
• River Cruising
• Cruise Critic News & Features
• Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
• Special Interest Cruising
• Cruise Discussion Topics
• UK Cruising
• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
• Canadian Cruisers
• North American Homeports
• Ports of Call
• Cruise Conversations

Announcements

• New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!

Ask Me Anything About

Victory Cruise Lines!

Ask Your Questions Today;

See answers beginning August 12th

Write Your Own Amazing Review !

Click this photo by member XFrancophileX to share your review w/ photos too!

Parliament, Budapest

Features & News

LauraS · Started 12 hours ago

LauraS · Started 17 hours ago

LauraS · Started Tuesday at 08:45 PM

LauraS · Started Tuesday at 04:21 PM

LauraS · Started Tuesday at 01:39 PM

Cruise Planning

Find a cruise, popular ports, member reviews.

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

• Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
• Find Your Roll Call
• Meet & Mingle
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Photo Albums
• Meet & Mingle Photos
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of Call Photos
• Towel Animal Photos
• Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
• Write a Review
• Live Cruise Reports
• Member Cruise Reviews
• Create New...

72 best cruise ship water parks and private islands for families

A nyone who’s ever cruised in the Caribbean or Mexico knows how hot a day at sea can get. With temperatures routinely hitting 80 degrees and above, being able to cool off onboard your ship is a must. And for families with young kids and tweens, nothing beats a cruise ship water park with water slides when it comes to keeping everyone happy and refreshed on days at sea.

The best cruise ship water parks for families and kids of all ages

Plenty of cruise ships have pools and water slides, but not all of them are a good fit for families with tweens or kids under 10 years old. Pools can get crowded, life guards may not be available, and water slides may be too scary or have height limits.

That’s not a problem with the following cruise ship water parks that have just what’s needed for all ages from toddlers to tweens to teens. From smaller water slides, wading pools, and tipping buckets to water cannons, surprise water spouts, and dancing fountains, here are the cruise ships with the best onboard water parks for every age group.

FAMILY CRUISE DEALS:   Kids cruise free: These 8 cruise lines let kids sail free

Important note:  With the exception of  Disney Cruise Line and select Royal Caribbean ships, which have dedicated pools and water play areas for littles in  swim diapers , kids on all other ships must be potty-trained to play in these cruise ship water parks.

Splashaway Bay Aqua Park and Category 6 water park on Royal Caribbean

Splashaway Bay aqua park from Royal Caribbean is an ideal cruise ship water park for tweens or kids under 10 who love to zip down water slides, splash through fountains, or get soaking wet beneath a massive tipping bucket. There’s also a Splashaway Bay area for little kids at Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Bahamas,  Perfect Day at CocoCay .

FIRST TIME:   How to make the most of your first cruise vacation

The main attraction at the  Splashaway Bay  water parks on Royal Caribbean ships are the colorful water slides, the number of which varies by cruise ship. Generally, you’ll find one or two larger slides for kids ages six and older (minimum height is 42 inches) and one small slide for the toddlers. For the big slide, the maximum weight is 300 pounds. There’s also a splash zone dubbed Baby Bay with ankle-high pools of water and an array of other water features (think water cannons, whirlpools, and a drench bucket) that allow youngsters in swim diapers. 

For bigger thrills, look to the Category 6 water park on Royal Caribbean’s  Icon of the Seas . At 17,000 square feet, this is the biggest cruise ship water park in the world, and it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. Spread across two decks, Category 6 boasts a number of firsts at sea: the first open freefall slide, the first dueling mat race slides, the first family raft rides on a cruise ship, and last but not least, the tallest drop slide at sea. It’s a truly epic water park that’s most suited to daredevil tweens and teens.

Royal Caribbean cruise ships with a Splashaway Bay water park

• Adventure of the Seas
• Allure of the Seas
• Anthem of the Seas
• Explorer of the Seas
• Freedom of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Independence of the Seas
• Liberty of the Seas
• Mariner of the Seas
• Navigator of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas
• Oasis of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas
• Utopia of the Seas
• Voyager of the Seas
• Wonder of the Seas
• Icon of the Seas

Royal Caribbean cruise ships with a Category 6 water park

Carnival waterworks on carnival cruise line.

Kids of all ages will be dazzled by the brightly colored  Carnival WaterWorks  water parks found on most Carnival Cruise Line ships. Though the space and design vary by ship, all of the Carnival ship water parks feature one or two water slides, a giant tipping bucket, and kiddie spray zones with fountains and water cannons that are perfect for younger kids.

WATER WORLDS: 14 best indoor water park resorts in the U.S.

Most ships have either straight or curling slides, but Carnival Vista offers up the  Kaleid-O-Slide . This water slide, geared toward the seven-and-up crowd, takes riders on mats down a 455-foot-long series of twists and turns while zooming through flashing kaleidoscopic lights and visual effects.

Even younger kids will appreciate the Dr. Seuss-themed WaterWorks and spray zone on Carnival Horizon, which includes a massive water-tipping top-hat and two water slides. Some of Carnival’s ships also have racing slides that offer side by side thrills for older kids and adults.

Carnival Cruise ships with a WaterWorks water park

• Carnival Breeze
• Carnival Celebration
• Carnival Dream
• Carnival Elation
• Carnival Firenze
• Carnival Freedom
• Carnival Glory
• Carnival Horizon
• Carnival Jubilee
• Carnival Legend
• Carnival Magic
• Carnival Mardi Gras
• Carnival Miracle
• Carnival Panorama
• Carnival Paradise
• Carnival Pride
• Carnival Spirit
• Carnival Sunrise
• Carnival Sunshine
• Carnival Splendor
• Carnival Venezia
• Carnival Vista

Forest Aquaventure Park, AquaPlay, Polar Park, Aurora Borealis Aquapark, and Ocean Cay Aquapark on MSC Cruises

One of the largest water parks for young kids at sea, the  Forest Aquaventure Park and AquaPlay area  on MSC Cruises offer a full range of amusements for kids, tweens, teens, and water slide-loving adults. There are four slides, including two racing slides with clear sections that extend out over the side of the ship; an easy, open air spiral slide; and a funky slideboard option with neon lighting. 

SUNSHINE STATE:   7 best Orlando water parks for families

For the smaller kids under 10, there’s a large shallow pool with fountains to play under, mini slides to give the kiddos a thrill, spray nozzles for getting mom and dad wet, and a giant tipping bucket. Above it all is an enclosed suspension bridge that might look scary and like a challenge to some of the younger kids, but is as safe as can be. 

MSC’s Polar AquaPark, found on MSC Meraviglia and MSC Bellissima, isn’t nearly as toddler-friendly as Forest Aquaventure, which is a good thing for families with older kids and tweens. The water slides here are decidedly teen- and adult-sized, as is the rope bridge. There’s a smallish water slide in the splash zone, and kids under 10 will get a kick out of trying to figure out which is the next tipping bucket to go over (there are lots of them). There are also a few sprayers and a fountain wall for kids to run through.

And the MSC World Europa has an impressive VR-enhanced water park called the  Aurora Borealis AquaPark , which is geared more toward teens and adults than little kids. While it does have a toddler-only pool, the overall experience is best suited to bigger kids. The reef-themed Ocean Cay AquaPark can be found on MSC Euribia. MSC Virtuosa serves up thrills for kids big and small at its Savannah Aquapark, with four waterslides, including one kamikaze-style slide for younger children.

MSC Cruise Line ships with a Forest Aquaventure and AquaPlay Water Park

• MSC Seaside
• MSC Seashore
• MSC Seascape
• MSC Seaview

MSC Cruise Line ships with a Polar AquaPark

• MSC Meraviglia
• MSC Bellissima

MSC Cruise Line ships with an Aurora Borealis AquaPark

• MSC World Europa

MSC Cruise Line ships with an Ocean Cay AquaPark

• MSC Euribia

MSC Cruise Line ships with a Savannah Aquapark

• MSC Virtuosa

Reef Splash Zone on Princess Cruises

Thanks to its stellar  Reef Splash Zone , the top cruise ship for families on Princess Cruises is Caribbean Princess. One of the best cruise ship water parks for the entire family, Reef Splash Zone features a kid-friendly pool and hot tub, a lounge area with plush seating, and a bar serving up delicious mocktails for the kids. 

TYPHOON LAGOON VS. BLIZZARD BEACH:   Guide to the Disney water parks in Orlando

The water park fun centers around Winnie the Whale, with water spraying from her spout and raining from her fluke. Inside her mouth is a pint-sized slide for children under 10. Assorted water sprays are located around Winnie the Whale. (Pro tip: Never turn your back on a tween with their hand on a spray gun.)

When everyone’s had enough of the water, you’ll also find oversized backyard games including cornhole scattered around this cruise ship water park. 

Princess Cruise Line ships with a Reef Family Splash Zone water park

• Caribbean Princess

Nemo’s Reef, Toy Story Splash Zone, AquaLab, and AquaDuck and AquaMouse Water Coasters on Disney Cruise Line

Limited to the eight and under set, the 1,500-square-foot  Nemo’s Reef  on  Disney Cruise Line ships is filled with  Finding Nemo  characters, countless fountains, pop jets, and spray nozzles. There’s also a toddler-sized water slide with a slip-n-slide feel that will have young kids going back again and again. And, unlike on most other cruise ships, toddlers in swim diapers are welcome to play here. 

KID-FRIENDLY CRUISES:   7 best cruise lines for families (and their most kid-friendly ships)

For the tweens and kids eight years old and up, the  AquaDuck water coaster  stretches more than 750 feet, and a parent can ride together with their child on a two-person raft that goes up and down and out over the side of the ship. 

In fact, each of Disney’s cruise ships has at least one water play area for younger kids. You’ll find a sprawling water playground called  AquaLab  themed around Donald Duck’s mischievous nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie on the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, and Disney Fantasy. On the Disney Wish, a very basic splash area called The Toy Story Splash Zone is geared toward toddlers age three and under, while the  AquaMouse  water slide—for kids (and adults) seven and older—is Disney’s first theme park-like attraction at sea.

Disney Cruise Line Ships with a Nemo’s Reef Water Park and AquaDuck Water Coaster

• Disney Dream
• Disney Fantasy

Disney Cruise Line Ships with a AquaLab for Little Kids

• Disney Magic
• Disney Wonder

Disney Cruise Line Ships with a Toy Story Splash Zone for Toddlers

• Disney Wish
• Disney Treasure

Kids Aqua Park on Norwegian Cruise Line

All of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Breakaway, Breakaway-Plus, and Prima class ships have a  Kids’ Aqua Park  play area. The water parks for kids on Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Joy, and Norwegian Encore have the most to offer, including a large tipping bucket, mesh climbing structures, water cannons you can aim from above, and an exciting kid-sized slide. 

The water parks for young kids on Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway are less impressive, with just a wading pool, two very tiny slides, and a handful of splash elements. The same can be said for the kids water play area on the Norwegian Prima.

Norwegian Cruise Line ships with water parks for little kids

• Norwegian Bliss
• Norwegian Breakaway
• Norwegian Encore
• Norwegian Escape
• Norwegian Getaway
• Norwegian Joy
• Norwegian Prima
• Norwegian Viva

Which cruise lines have private island water parks?

Several of the most family-friendly cruise lines have their own private islands where you’ll find water parks and splash areas of varying complexity.

Royal Caribbean’s  Perfect Day at CocoCay  is a massive water-themed playground of an island sure to dazzle both adults and kids. Among the offerings: Thrill Waterpark with its two towers and 13 slides, plus the Caribbean’s largest wave pool and an obstacle course pool. Perfect Day at CocoCay is also home to the Caribbean’s largest freshwater pool, Oasis Lagoon, which has coves, a swim-up bar, private cabanas, swim-up islands with in-water loungers, and a kid-friendly beach entry.

Disney’s  Castaway Cay  has plenty of water fun to offer as well. You can snorkel, swim with stingrays, zip down water slides in the water park area (perfect for bigger kids and tweens), and even run a 5K. Disney’s other private paradise,  Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point , is more authentically Bahamian with just a little bit of Disney sprinkled on top. Younger kids will enjoy its Rush Out Gush Out water play area.

Both Carnival and Holland America visit the 2,400-acre  Half Moon Cay  in The Bahamas. As with Perfect Day at CocoCay and Castaway Cay, there’s a kid’s water park area here as well. Families can also go horseback riding on the beach and swing with stingrays. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Harvest Caye in Belize invites kids to cool off at a small water park, with a water slide, giant tipping bucket, sprinklers, and other splash pad-style features.  Great Stirrup Cay , another one of the company’s private islands, does not have a water park.

Note that not all sailings from these lines stop at their private islands, so if this experience is of interest, be sure to check the itinerary before booking.

More from FamilyVacationist:

• 13 best outdoor water parks in the U.S.
• When do you need a child travel consent form?
• When to visit Disney World and Disneyland to avoid big crowds

Gina Kramer also contributed to this article.

The post 72 best cruise ship water parks and private islands for families appeared first on FamilyVacationist .

Carnival Venezia cruise ship review: What to expect on board

Carnival Venezia is the Carnival ship you book in lieu of a trip to The Venetian in Las Vegas — or maybe the Italy area of Epcot at Disney World.

From a real gondola "sailing" down the middle of its main dining room to a pool deck built to look like a Venetian boulevard, Carnival Venezia boasts a Venice-themed design that makes you feel like you've stolen away to the iconic Italian destination. The theming carries through to just about everything on board, from the handmade Italian gelato on offer at JavaBlue Cafe to the Italian liqueur-infused concoctions found at many bars.

Like all Carnival ships, Carnival Venezia is a vessel aimed at travelers looking for an affordable, fun and lively cruise vacation. But it's one with an Italian twist — one so strong that you suspect there's a backstory, and indeed there is.

Carnival Venezia was never meant to be in the Carnival fleet. It was originally built for an Italy-based cruise line.

But now that it's part of Carnival, it seems to fit right in.

Overview of Carnival Venezia

Carnival Venezia is the newest ship in the Carnival fleet, having joined the line in May 2023. But, as noted above, it's new with an asterisk. The 4,090-passenger vessel was originally launched in 2019 for a different line — Italy-based Costa Cruises — and is already 3 years old.

Carnival Corporation, which is the parent company of both Costa and Carnival, transferred the ship between the two brands in 2023 due to shifting demand for cruises in the markets where the two lines operate.

This makes Carnival Venezia something of an outlier in the Carnival fleet. While it underwent an overhaul in dry dock to add many of Carnival's signature venues, it retains much of its Costa-aligned, Italian-themed design.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter

This includes, notably, many public spaces that offer design nods to the palaces lining Venice's Grand Canal. (Venice is the inspiration for much of the ship's theming.) It also still boasts its original and distinctive yellow-and-blue Costa funnel (there's no Carnival "whale tail" on this ship).

In short, Carnival Venezia combines elements of both Costa and Carnival ships — enough so that Carnival originally planned to call the ship a "Costa by Carnival" product to differentiate it from the rest of the Carnival fleet. Carnival has since switched to marketing Carnival Venezia as a vessel that offers "Carnival Fun Italian Style."

All that said, as I saw in late May while sailing on Carnival Venezia's first voyage under the Carnival banner, it's a ship on which Carnival fans will probably feel right at home, despite its Costa roots. The Carnival and Costa brands have many similarities, and their ships are often built on the same platforms. While Carnival Venezia is considered a "Venezia-class" ship, it shares the same basic structural design and layout as Carnival's three Vista-class vessels ( Carnival Panorama , Carnival Horizon and Carnival Vista). If you've been on those ships, you'll find the ship's flow and location for venues strikingly familiar.

As is typical of Carnival (and Costa) ships, Carnival Venezia is an affordable, fun-focused vessel aimed at budget-minded vacationers looking to let loose and have a good time. It's loaded with eateries, bars, showrooms and lots of upper-deck activity zones, including pool areas, a water park, a ropes course and a sports court.

What I loved about Carnival Venezia

Fun ship vibe.

Carnival Venezia may not be the fanciest cruise ship afloat. You won't dine on foie gras and caviar or sleep on 1,000-thread-count sheets. But few vessels have such a fun vibe.

I loved that I could careen down a ripping waterslide, scramble across ropes more than 100 feet above the sea, practice my putting on a minigolf course and soak in a hot tub, all in advance of a night of bar-hopping, live music and not-for-your-kids late-night comedy.

This is true of pretty much every Carnival vessel, of course. This is the Fun Ship line, after all. But that doesn't make it any less true for Carnival Venezia. It's hard not to have a good time on this ship.

Italian theming

The Italian theming on Carnival Venezia was so strong when Carnival took over the ship from Italy-based Costa that, instead of stripping it away, Carnival chose to lean into it. When it sent the ship into dry dock in 2023 to become Carnivalized, the biggest new thing it added from scratch was ... a high-end Italian restaurant.

It also doubled down on the Italian vibe with new Italy-themed drinks at multiple bars, including the new Italian liqueur-focused Amari bar. The captain's reception is themed as a Venetian masked ball, with the crew handing out Venetian masks for passengers to wear.

The theming is a little over-the-top in places. The golden lion of St. Mark, a symbol of Venice, looming over the ship's central atrium on a giant faux-marble column sets the tone. But I found it wonderful in the way that Las Vegas resorts can be wonderful.

Carnival Venezia is a make-believe zone that whisks you away from your mundane, everyday life. There's no mistaking you are on vacation here — if not in Italy, at least in a faux version of Italy. Be warned, Venetian Resort. You have new competition.

Carnival has jumped into the mixology craze in a big way with Carnival Venezia — but with an Italian twist. At many of its main bars, you'll find creative concoctions made with unusual Italian liqueurs and bitters that you probably didn't know existed.

In the name of research, I ordered up one oddball creation after another at the Italy-themed Amari bar, from the Bitter Guiseppe (a Manhattan-like drink infused with Cynar, an Italian bitter aperitif) to an Amalfi Martini made with Italy-made limoncello and limoncino — and, for the most part, loved them.

Related: Why the coolest new bar in North America may be on a Carnival ship

For the Middle America crowd that is a mainstay on Carnival ships, the cocktails are a fun and playful diversion from the typical pre-dinner drink routine typically centered on ho-hum concoctions like vodka tonics and American light lagers. When in Rome (or fake Venice), as they say.

What I didn't love about Carnival Venezia

The lido pool.

As noted above, Carnival Venezia was originally built for Italy-based Costa. But it was a Costa ship designed for a specific group of travelers: residents of China. The ship was originally to sail in Asia for the Chinese market, offering Chinese travelers a taste of cruising Italian style. The result is that it has one of the most convoluted main pool decks that I have ever seen — one that would have worked for the Chinese market but is flawed for an American crowd.

Specifically, the pool area has little open-to-the-sky lounge space for sunbathing. This was by design, as Chinese travelers, in general, do not sunbathe. They prefer to be shielded from the sun, and that sort of environment is what Costa delivered around the ship's main pool.

The Lido pool, as it's called, is surrounded by Venetian villa-themed "buildings" that house lots of covered lounge and eating areas — places you can sit and have a coffee covered from the sun (the area has an unusually large coffee bar for a Carnival ship, the JavaBlue Cafe) or scarf down a burger from the nearby Guy's Burger Joint. There are two full decks of these covered, sunless areas around the pool, and if that weren't enough, the area is topped with a glass magradome that can be closed to completely shield the area from the elements.

Even when left open, this magradome has enough apparatus associated with it that it noticeably eats away at the space available for sunning, though to be fair there is quite a bit of sunning space with lounge chairs at other areas of the ship's top deck.

The cabin service

It's not entirely fair to judge any part of a ship's service based on its first sailing when the crew is still getting used to each other and the layout and procedures of a new vessel. That said, it's fair to say that service provided by cabin attendants in general on Carnival ships isn't quite what it used to be as the line cuts costs — something that will be true for Carnival Venezia six months from now as much as it is today.

My visit to Carnival Venezia in late May marked the first time I had sailed on Carnival since the line reduced cleaning service for cabins to just once a day from twice a day, which happened in 2022. Given the low price point of the typical Carnival cruise, it's hard to argue that one should expect twice-a-day room cleaning. Still, this was always one of the big wows that set Carnival (and other cruise lines) apart from similarly priced land-based resorts. You got a room steward who seemingly was always there, keeping your room spick-and-span.

I met my room steward in passing in the hallway, and he seemed pleasant enough. But I didn't feel the connection with him that I have in the past with some Carnival room stewards. And perhaps because I had my "Snoozin" do-not-disturb sign out a bit while working in my room, I went a full day and night at one point without my room being cleaned at all, which is something that never used to happen in the old days of twice-daily service.

Carnival Venezia cabins and suites

Carnival Venezia has 32 cabin and suite categories — a daunting number. But finding the right cabin category for you isn't as complicated as that number might make it seem. Many cabin categories on Carnival Venezia are essentially the same, with the exception of where the rooms are located.

My cabin was a cove balcony cabin. Near the bottom of the ship on Deck 2, these are the least expensive balcony cabins on Carnival Venezia, in part because they have balconies that aren't quite as open and light-filled as standard balcony rooms. Because they are near the ship's waterline, the balconies are built with more protective steel than is normal, creating a somewhat enclosed "cove" effect.

Other than that, cove balcony cabins (of which there are 110) are identical to the far more common standard balcony cabins that account for the greatest segment of Carnival Venezia accommodations (794 out of 2,045 cabins), all of which are located much higher on the ship.

Both standard balcony cabins and cove balcony cabins have the same interior space (185 square feet) with identical furnishings — a queen bed that can be split into two single beds; a built-in desk area with a miniature refrigerator; a seating area with a sofa and small table; built-in closets; and a bathroom.

Cove balcony cabins are priced a little lower than standard balcony cabins because, in theory, their unusual balcony configurations and low-on-the-ship locations make them less desirable. But to me, the more-enclosed nature of the balcony isn't a major drawback, and the closer-to-the-waterline location of the cabins is a plus, not a minus.

I love lounging on cruise ship balconies that are close to the waterline. You get more of a sense of the ship's movement through the waves and can sometimes spot waterbirds gliding just above the water.

There's a magical connection to the sea that one only gets from staying in a cabin near the waterline. You won't find that when you're lording it over the ship in a high-priced cabin or suite on Deck 12 or 14.

For the most part, I was happy with my cove balcony cabin on Carnival Venezia. Clearly, it won't win any awards for style. Its relatively bland white-and-cream walls and neutral, blue-accented carpeting are designed to fade into the background. The bedding is perfectly adequate for the Carnival price point but nothing memorable, with somewhat cheap-feeling polyester pillows topped with cotton pillowcases.

Still, my cove balcony cabin overall had a bit of an elevated feel compared to cabins on some Carnival vessels, and it ticked all the boxes for a cabin on a budget ship. There was ample storage for two in the floor-to-ceiling built-in closets, which notably were deep enough that my dress jackets and shirts could fit straight in on a hangar without having to be pushed to the side when it came time to close the door — something that isn't always the case even on higher-end ships.

While the nightstands next to the bed were so small and narrow that they seemed like afterthoughts, both did have built-in lamps for reading at night, and one side of the bed was nicely equipped with two USB ports. (Memo to Carnival: In a perfect world, you'd want these on both sides of the bed!)

Two more USB ports are located across the room at the built-in desk area, which also has two U.S.-style 120V plugs, a European-style 230V plug and a completely superfluous and destined-never-to-be-used "type I" 220V plug. I suspect the latter is a throwback to when the ship was scheduled to sail in China. I had to Google it to figure out what the heck it was.

As is typical for Carnival ships, the cabin bathroom is functional, if not particularly stylish or upscale in feel. You won't find marble-topped sinks or elegantly tiled showers with sleek Hansgrohe fixtures at this price point. However, the fiberglass-molded shower space has (just) enough room so you don't hit the wall when soaping, and there is ample storage space for toiletries on three open shelves located on each side of the vanity. (The vanity, it should be noted, has faux Venetian wood cabinetry and a golden mirror, in keeping with the ship's Italian styling.)

My biggest quibble with the bathroom, besides it being eminently bland, is its overall color scheme. It has brown textured fiberglass floors and light yellow walls that I suspect will become dated over time. It already looks a bit dowdy.

On a more positive note, Carnival Venezia is one of the rare Carnival ships that doesn't have air vents carved into cabin doors — something that often makes cabins on Carnival ships less soundproof than cabins on competing lines. This is one area where inheriting a vessel from sister line Costa was an advantage.

Other Carnival Venezia cabin tidbits:

• There are red "Snoozin'" cards to hang on your door when you don't want to be disturbed, which strikes us as a bit of an old-school way to do a do-not -disturb notice. Many cruise lines in recent years have switched to more sophisticated electronic systems that let you push a button inside your room to turn on a do-not-disturb light outside your door.
• Every cabin has a small hair dryer in a drawer in the desk area and a personal safe in the closet.
• There's a flat-screen television on the wall with movies on demand that, in many cases, are free. Carnival normally only charges for some first-run movies at a current rate of $6.99 per movie.

Those who want something a bit more exclusive than a standard or cove balcony cabin can book one of the 77 so-called Terrazza Carnavale cabins at the back of the ship. These rooms come with exclusive access to a private outdoor sunning area with lounge chairs, hot tubs, cabanas and a bar called the Terrazza Carnevale.

In addition, passengers staying in Terrazza Carnevale cabins get exclusive access to daily continental breakfast in the adjacent Carnevale Lounge; a specially curated brunch on select sea days, with a complimentary spritz or mimosa; and a private sailaway event with live music at the Terrazza Carnevale.

There are five types of Terrazza Carnavale cabins, all in the same general area at the back of the ship near the Terrazza Carnevale Lounge area. These include 26 aft-facing cabins across decks 6, 7, 8 and 9 that have extended curving balconies looking out over the back of the vessel and eight so-called Premium Vista balconies at the back corners of the ship that have extremely large, wrap-around balconies.

In addition, this Terazza Carnevale area of the ship has 27 Cabana cabins that have extended "cabana" balcony areas with lounge chairs and hammocks for lounging. Fourteen interior cabins are also part of this exclusive Terrazza Carnevale area.

Passengers must be 12 or older to stay in a Terrazza Carnevale cabin and enter the area's private outdoor lounge.

Carnival Venezia also has 20 suites, all the same in size and amenities. Dubbed the Ocean Suites, these accommodations aren't really suites in the true sense as much as larger-than-normal balcony cabins. Most measure 275 square feet, not including 65-square-foot balconies, and have a single bedroom with a sofa and table across from the bed, plus a larger-than-normal bathroom.

Focused mostly on budget-minded travelers, Carnival has never been known for the wide array of large and pricey suites found on some competing big-ship lines.

Carnival Venezia restaurants and bars

As is typical for Carnival ships, Carnival Venezia is packed with dining options — some included in the fare, some at an extra charge. It's got oodles of bars, too.

The vessel has two main dining rooms and a casual buffet eatery where meals are included in the fare. In addition, you'll find several included-in-the-price quick bite options and five extra-charge eateries serving everything from steaks to sushi.

In general, Carnival cuisine isn't high-end and — given the line's focus on vacations at an affordable price point — it's not meant to be. But Carnival is a line that long has underpromised and over-delivered when it comes to its food offerings, and you may be surprised by what you find.

Restaurants

While I only was on Carnival Venezia for five nights, I was able to hit just about every food outlet on board — something that isn't easy given how many there are. On a typical seven-night cruise, you'll have enough options to never get bored.

It's a good idea to make reservations for the ship's five specialty restaurants as soon as you can, as they tend to fill up quickly.

The biggest eateries on the ship, and the spots where you'll eat at least a few, if not most, of your dinners, are its two main restaurants, the Canal Grande Restaurant and Marco Polo Restaurant.

At the back of the vessel and spanning two decks, the Canal Grande Restaurant is the main restaurant for passengers who sign up for Your Time dining — the type of dining where you can show up whenever you want. The smaller Marco Polo Restaurant, at the center of the ship, is reserved for passengers who choose Traditional dining — the type of dining where you sit at a designated table at a fixed time.

As is always the case with Carnival sailings, you choose one or the other type of dining in advance of your cruise, and then you are assigned the appropriate main restaurant. Note that this choice only applies to dinners in these main restaurants. If you want to go to any of the extra-charge eateries, the casual buffet (called Lido Marketplace) or a quick-serve outlet for dinner, you can go whenever you want, no matter whether you've chosen Your Time or Traditional dining. Breakfast and lunch are also open seating during listed hours.

The Canal Grande Restaurant and Marco Polo Restaurant serve the same cuisine, but it is the come-anytime Canal Grande Restaurant, where I ate, that has by far the most spectacular setting — spectacular either in a good or a bad way, depending on your take on over-the-top theming.

Designed to appear like its tables are lining a canal in Venice, the soaring, two-deck-high venue has a real Venetian gondola "floating" in a faux waterway down its center, with faux brick bridges over the canal and a faux blue sky above. To which I say: fabulous. I love it. But, also, I'm half Venetian, so I may be wildly biased.

The dinner menu at the Canal Grande Restaurant typically offers six main courses from a dizzying mix of cuisines — on the night I ate there, the choices included an Asian-inspired sweet and sour shrimp dish, an Italian lasagna plate and a vegetarian Indian platter. Several "from the grill" choices, such as grilled salmon or chicken breast, are available every night.

While it was early days for the eatery when I visited, I found the food quality and delivery all over the map. A calamari fritti appetizer I ordered was so depressing in its appearance, chewy and tasteless as to be almost upsetting. However, my main course of grilled salmon came out perfectly soft and seasoned.

One of my tablemates also had the hilarious situation of ordering a burger for his son where he specified no ketchup or mustard, "just cheese," only to be served a bun with just cheese on it — and no meat. As noted, it's early days, and the crew still is learning.

The Lido Marketplace is Carnival Venezia's included-in-the-fare buffet venue, and it's always buzzing. Carnival fans love their Lido buffets. The venue is at the top of the ship between the main Lido pool and the back-of-the-ship Burano pool. Its decor evokes an outdoor Italian cafe of the sort you'd find in the square of a small Italian village, with faux trees, leaf-lined columns and casual cafe chairs.

At breakfast, the Lido Marketplace offers up all the staples in big trays along the buffet line, including scrambled eggs, eggs Benedict, hard-boiled eggs, pancakes, sausage and bacon. There are made-to-order omelet stations, too. Lunchtime brings a wide variety of options, including a salad bar and a hot sandwich grill turning out grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, Reubens, meatball subs and the like.

Just outside the Lido Marketplace at the back of the ship and steps away from the Burano pool is the ship's pizza-to-go outlet, Pizzeria del Capitano, serving up five pizza options: Margherita, fungi, pepperoni, quattro formaggi and prosciutto. You can order a slice or whole pie at no charge. Covered outdoor seating is available.

A second quick-serve outlet around the Burano pool, the Seafood Shack, serves lobster rolls, fish and chips, New England clam chowder and other classic seafood items for extra charges that seem out of whack with what the typical Carnival customer can afford. The lobster roll, for instance, is $18, and a single crab cake is $15 — prices that seem awfully steep.

On the flip side, an order of fish and chips is only $8, as is a bucket of fried clam strips, which seems more reasonable. Either way, I didn't see many people lining up for items here.

Moving forward to the Lido pool area on the same deck, you'll find two included-in-your-fare, iconic Carnival quick-service outlets. The most jammed, at any time its open, is Guy's Burger Joint, the Guy Fieri-created burger outlet that you'll find on every Carnival ship.

On Carnival Venezia, this eatery has an unusual Italian theme, with the fat-dripping, mouth-watering burgers for which it is known coming in two new Italian-inspired, Guy Fieri-created versions in addition to the classic options. These include a "pepperoni pizza burger" topped with fried mozzarella, pepperoni, marinara, provolone and aged Parmesan and a "super melty mootz" that is slathered in melted mozzarella, diced tomato, balsamic and fried basil. (Mootz, for those of you not in the know, is a slang term sometimes used for mozzarella.)

Don't worry; the classic Plain Jane, Straight Up and The Ringer burgers Fieri created for the wider fleet are also available.

Across from Guy's Burger Joint, the BlueIguana Cantina burrito outlet found in this location on other Carnival ships has been given an Italian twist, too. Renamed Tomodoro, it now serves Italian meatball subs, Sicilian chicken wraps and tortas de Milanese (imagine chicken Milanese turned into a panini) to go — in addition to made-to-order Mexican-style burritos and tacos.

We like it all, but for an outlet this small, the mash-up of Mexican and Italian quick-serve items adds an extra element of choice for customers that can slow down the line. Our advice to Carnival: Go Italian or go Mexican here, but don't try to do both.

The new entrant to Carnival's food scene is Il Viaggio, serving high-end Italian cuisine. With a fixed price of $42 per person, it's one of the priciest eateries on the ship. The restaurant leans into the Italian theming of the vessel with a relatively small, curated menu of Italian specialties such as Tuscan-style sea bass with a Parmesan crust and steak pizzaiola from the Lazio region.

Taking the place of the more casual (and far less pricey) Cucina del Capitano Italian eatery found on other Carnival ships, it served dishes in a hit-or-miss fashion when I visited. To be fair, it was the venue's first night in operation. I was served a mouth-wateringly soft house-made burrata with heirloom tomatoes and pesto as an appetizer, but a grilled octopus appetizer that looked absolutely beautiful on presentation was sadly under-seasoned to the point of having almost no taste.

On the positive side, Il Viaggio turned out a pappardelle with pork ragu as a main course that would have impressed even my Italian grandmother. Alas, my go-to test item for a quality Italian eatery, the cannoli dessert, came out with both shells and fillings that were uninspiring. To paraphrase the Peter Clemenza line from The Godfather , take the pappardelle, leave the cannoli.

Carnival Venezia's priciest eatery is its $48-per-person steakhouse, Fahrenheit 555 —a staple of nearly every Carnival ship. It offers all the steakhouse classics such as New York strip, filet mignon and lobster tail served in a warm and cozy space that retains much of its original Italian theming. Note the golden lion of St. Mark (the symbol of Venice) woven into the carpeting's repeating pattern and a larger lion of St. Mark statue in one corner of the eatery.

Carnival Venezia trivia: While often Italy themed, all the restaurants on the ship originally were designed to serve Chinese cuisine, in keeping with its original focus on the China market. If you look closely, you'll see traditional China motifs worked into the Italian theming, as well as heavy use of the popular-in-China color red (which, by luck, also is a color often found in Italian design — it's on the Italian flag, after all).

The other two major extra-charge eateries on Carnival Venezia are the twin Asia outlets Bonsai Sushi and Bonsai Teppanyaki, just across from each other on Deck 5.

Bonsai Sushi serves its namesake sushi and sashimi, as well as yakitori (grilled meat on skewers), noodle bowls and small plates of such Japanese classics as chicken Katsu and shrimp tempura — all at a la carte prices.

Found on many Carnival ships, Bonsai Sushi has always been one of my favorite Carnival eateries due to a combination of it getting the basics right when it comes to Japanese cuisine (the sushi always is fresh and tasty) and also being relatively reasonably priced. You'll pay $2 per piece for sushi or sashimi (it's a limited menu of shrimp, salmon, yellowfin tuna and amberjack) or $6 to $8 for a sushi roll that is downright huge. Poke bowls, shrimp tempura plates and noodle bowls are also available for just $8. It's hard to run up too big a bill.

Bonsai Teppanyaki is a classic teppanyaki eatery with a cover charge of $35 per person for lunch and $38 per person for dinner. For that price, you'll get starters such as pork belly yakitori and spicy tuna followed by a main course of teppanyaki-style salmon, lobster tail, shrimp, grilled tofu, black cod or filet mignon (or various combinations of these six options). Dessert is a chocolate "bento box" with green tea ice cream.

As is the shtick with teppanyaki eateries everywhere, the main courses here are all cooked in front of you on a steel-topped grill with various hijinks from the chef along the way. If you have the kids in tow, it's a crowd-pleaser. If, like me, you've moved past the age of having young kids and have suffered your fair share of family-friendly dinner shows, it's all a bit tedious.

Either way, the good news is that getting a seat for teppanyaki on Carnival Venezia is a little easier than on most Carnival ships, as there are more teppanyaki tables (four) at the ship's Bonsai Teppanyaki than at similar eateries on other Carnival ships — more fallout of the vessel being built for the China market.

Meanwhile, the food options don't end with the restaurants. An enticing array of extra-charge gourmet cupcakes and doughnuts ($4), cake slices ($6) and cookies ($2.50) are available at JavaBlue Cafe, which is at the top of the ship near the Lido pool. It's also home to fantastic homemade Italian gelato (hey, more of the Italian theming) for $3 a scoop ($5 for two scoops), as well as homemade milkshakes ($6.50) and made-to-order LavAzza espresso drinks that you can get spiked if you so choose.

Carnival Venezia is packed with bars, as is the way with Carnival ships. You won't walk far in any public area without hitting one.

The first one you'll see upon arrival is the St. Mark's Square-themed Atrium Bar, with its giant winged lion of St. Mark lording over it on a pedestal. Sitting at the base of the ship's central atrium, which has the Venice-themed name of Piazza San Marco, the Atrium Bar is right in the middle of everything and bustling at all hours. That's partly because it's a hub for live music — either a singer and pianist, a solo guitarist or a string trio, depending on the time of day.

You can find all your standard mixed drinks here, but its specialties are tropical classics (Bahama Mama, Tequila Sunrise) and martinis.

Fanning out from the top of the atrium on Deck 5, you'll run into a string of additional drinking establishments, each with its own theme.

Perhaps the most unusual is the stylish Amari bar, a new concept for Carnival that serves up specialty cocktails crafted with Italian Amari liqueurs and bitters. Some you would know, such as Aperol and Campari, and some you've probably never tried, such as Zucca, Averna, Cynar, Ramazzoti, Braulio, Montenegro and Nonino.

The curated list includes such unusual yumminess as the Bitter Guiseppe, a rift on a Manhattan made bittersweet with Cynar, vermouth, lemon and bitters. Or try the Negroni Sbagliato, a sparkling variation on the classic Italian cocktail made with Campari, Cinzano 1757 Vermouth di Torino and prosecco sparkling wine. You also can order Amari samplers with a choice of three of the liqueurs and bitters straight up.

Amari essentially replaces the cocktail-serving Alchemy Bar found on most Carnival ships. Fans of that bar will be relieved that Amari also offers a selection of that bar's most popular cocktails.

Just be warned: With so many new-and-unusual-for-Carnival crafty creations at the Amarai bar, you might just blow your drinks budget here if you haven't bought the ship's drinks package.

Just a few steps away from the Amari bar, working your way aft, you'll hit the sleek new Frizzante Bar, located in front of the Il Viaggio Italian restaurant. This bar's specialty is bubbly cocktails, most with an Italian twist. You'll find the classic Aperol Spritz here, as well as versions made with Campari, Amaro Averna and Creme de Cassis. The menu also features Bellinis, Limoncello Mojitos, Negronis and a relatively wide range of whiskeys.

As a nod to the ship's theme, the two beers on tap at Frizzante — Peroni and Birra Moretti — are brought in from Italy.

If you're traveling with one or more people avoiding alcohol, Frizzante Bar and Amari might be your two new favorite Carnival bar venues. Bartenders at both can make some of their iconic specialty drinks with non-alcoholic Lyre's Italian Spritz and Classico sparkling wine. They look and taste like the real thing but without the buzz.

Another Deck 5 favorite is the sprawling Gondola Lounge, which has its own stage and dance floor. It's the site of trivia contests during the day and live music and dancing at night, and its specialty is sangria (available by the glass or pitcher). The pricing for the sangria is a bit over the top for what is supposed to be a low-cost drink. A pitcher will set you back $36.

The Gondola Lounge is another outlet where you can get your daytime caffeine fix as it serves up LavAzza espresso drinks.

The lounge, like the nearby Canal Grande Restaurant, once had a real gondola sprawled out along one wall. It was removed during the overhaul of the ship after it was transferred from Costa to Carnival (my as-yet-unanswered question: Where did that gondola go?).

Two more bars on the same deck (yeah, that's five bars on a single deck!) include the cozy Piano Bar 88, which is part bar, part live piano music venue, and the Carnevale Bar and Lounge (mentioned in passing above). Keeping with the Italian theming, the latter is all about variations on the classic bellini, including an apple cider cucumber bellini, a blood orange bellini and a spicy mango bellini. The Carnevale Bar and Lounge is also the place to get spiked espresso drinks — if infusing yourself with stimulants and depressants at the same time is your thing.

Three additional bars around the top-deck pool areas (Rococo, the Pergola Bar and the Burano Bar) serve all the daiquiris and coladas you can drink, plus just about anything else alcohol-related you'd want to order while lounging by a pool. Our favorite of them all is Rococo, which Costa's designers gave an elaborate Italian palace theme with 1700s-era Rococo paintings on the walls that Carnival's designers subsequently defaced in the most hilarious of ways.

On one painting of a Renaissance woman being given a flower by a suitor, the Carnival designers painted pink sunglasses onto the woman and added a caption that says, "It's all about me." Another painting of two women in 1700era outfits is overwritten with the words "no fun plans tonight ... let's just wing it" and has a blue pigeon with a hat overpainted onto it for good measure.

Carnival Venezia activities and shows

As is typical for Carnival ships, Carnival Venezia is loaded with attractions that appeal to both adults and children, including multiple entertainment venues, a casino, a spa and lots of top-deck fun zones such as a water park and ropes courses.

In addition, you'll find all sorts of other diversions on board throughout the day in various lounge areas, from dance classes to bingo games and sports trivia.

For families, the top decks of the ship are where it's at for daytime fun, starting with a Carnival Waterworks water park that has more slides (three) than almost any other Carnival ship. As a Costa vessel, the water park had two slides, but Carnival jammed in a third during the ship's 2023 overhaul (while, notably, leaving the water park's yellow-and-blue Costa color scheme).

Only Carnival's bigger Mardi Gras and Celebration have as many water slides.

Carnival Waterworks is not far from the ship's main Lido pool, and there's a secondary Burano pool at the back of the vessel. As noted above, in part because it originally was built for the Chinese market, Carnival Venezia doesn't have as much open space with lounge chairs for sunning around the main Lido pool, which could be an issue for the ship when it sails in warm-water locales on itineraries with sea days. On those types of itineraries, lounging space around the main pool comes at a premium.

The Lido pool is, notably, built with a glass magradome that can be opened on sunny days and closed during inclement weather. This will be a plus when the vessel is sailing in colder locations, such as its season of sailings from New York City. But the magrodome eats up valuable real estate that otherwise would allow for more open-air lounge areas.

Other top-deck amusements include such Carnival classics as a ropes course where the challenge is stepping gingerly along ropes and platforms that tower 14 decks above the sea (you're safely roped in at all times, of course). It doesn't look all that scary from below, but — trust me — it's a bit terrifying when you get up there, and your legs go all wobbly trying to make it across a floating-in-the-sky pathway.

There's also a miniature golf course and a sports court that, like seemingly every other sports court at sea, has been newly rigged to allow for pickleball games.

Carnival Venezia's fitness center spans the entire front of deck 12 with epic views over the bow. The line made the space bigger during dry dock because Americans apparently like to exercise while on cruises more than Chinese travelers. A spa with 12 treatment rooms is in the same area, but the ship's hair salon was moved to Deck 5 (at the top of the atrium) to make more room.

In the evening, the ship's two-deck-high, Italian opera house-like Teatro Rosso and the smaller Limelight Lounge are the places for big entertainment. Teatro Rosso is the ship's main theater. Performances here might be an elaborate song-and-dance show with Carnival Venezia's resident performers or a comedy act or game show such as a Carnival version of television's "Family Feud." The Limelight Lounge morphs at night into the Punchliner Comedy Club with family-friendly shows in the early evening and R-rated versions late at night.

The Limelight Lounge also is where you'll find occasional bingo games and shockingly good karaoke contests. Carnival regulars come prepared to sing!

Karaoke may also take place in the Terrazza Carnivale or Gondola lounges.

Carnival Venezia also has a large casino with — and this is unusual — a dedicated room for nonsmokers.

The ship also has multiple fun zones dedicated to children. The heart of the offerings is Camp Ocean, located on Deck 11. It offers free, supervised activities daily for children ages 2 to 11. The line splits children here into three age groups — Penguins (2-5 years), Stingrays (6-8 years) and Sharks (9-11 years). Each group has its own age-appropriate activities ranging from face painting to pirate adventures.

There's also a hangout room called Circle C for tweens and teens ages 12 to 14 and a separate room for the older teen crowd (15 to 17) called Club O2. Both are tucked away at the front of the ship on Deck 3. If you wander toward them, you might come across a succession of no-longer-in-use small rooms built to be private karaoke rooms when the ship was destined for China. If you look closely, you can still make out what would have been the entrance and front desk for the karaoke area, now an oddly abandoned relic of what might have been for this ship.

For adults looking to get away from the kids, meanwhile, the front of the ship's top deck is devoted to an adults-only Serenity outdoor lounge area.

Carnival Venezia itineraries and pricing

Carnival Venezia will sail year-round out of New York through December 2024. After that, it'll move to Port Canaveral, Florida, for sailings to the Caribbean.

The ship's New York itineraries are unusually diverse, with 22 different routings available ranging from four to 15 nights in length. Destinations for the sailings out of New York include the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda, New England and Canada.

After moving to Port Canaveral, the ship will mostly sail seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages.

As of the publishing of this guide, fares for Carnival Venezia sailings were starting at $309 per person for the least expensive cabin on a four-night Caribbean sailing out of Port Canaveral. Seven-night Canada and New England sailings from New York start at $509 per person. Note that these fares are based on double occupancy and don't include taxes, fees and port changes, which range from around $100 to $250 per person for most sailings.

What to know before you go

Required documents

If you're a U.S. citizen, you'll need a current passport or an official copy of your birth certificate and a driver's license or other government-issued photo identification to sail. A few other forms of identification, such as a passport card, are also acceptable.

Passports must be valid for at least six months. Note that it is important that the name on your reservation be exactly as it is stated on your passport or other official proof of nationality.

Note that these are the rules for round-trip sailings out of U.S. ports of the sort Carnival Venezia will operate from New York and Port Canaveral over the next few years. If the ship eventually moves to another destination, these rules could change.

All this said, we recommend checking Carnival's website before sailing for the latest on requirements.

Carnival adds an automatic service gratuity of $14.50 to $16.50 per person, per day to final bills, depending on the cabin category (children under the age of 2 are exempt). If you are unhappy with the service you receive, you can adjust this amount at the Guest Services desk before disembarking. Also, an 18% gratuity is added to bar bills and the cover charge of the Chef's Table.

Wi-Fi service on Carnival Venezia is fast for a cruise ship. Carnival Venezia is one of a growing number of cruise vessels tapping into the new, super-fast Starlink satellite internet system developed by SpaceX, which has been revolutionizing internet speeds on ships.

However, you'll pay a hefty premium to experience the fastest Wi-Fi speeds available on Carnival Venezia. On my sailing, the fastest "premium" service on the ship, which allowed for video streaming, was priced at $30 per person for a 24-hour pass. A full-cruise pass for the 15-night voyage cost $330 per person — or $22 a day.

Carnival Venezia also offers a less expensive "social" plan that only allows access to key social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and messaging services such as WhatsApp. On my sailing, it was only available if bought for the entire cruise and cost $225 per person — or $15 per day.

A slightly more expensive "value" plan was also available at $22 per 24-hour period or $300 per cruise. The value plan adds access to email and most websites. Passengers who pay for a plan before sailing typically receive a discount.

Carry-on drinks policy

You can bring one bottle of wine or Champagne per person onto Carnival Venezia at boarding plus up to a dozen standard cans or cartons of nonalcoholic drinks such as sodas.

Nonalcoholic drinks in glass or plastic bottles are not allowed. You'll be charged a $15 corkage fee if you want to bring your own wine or Champagne to an onboard restaurant or bar to drink. Drinks brought on board must be carried in your carry-on luggage.

Smoking policy

Cigarette smoking (including electronic cigarettes and personal vaporizers) is only allowed outdoors in designated areas on Deck 5 forward (starboard side) and Deck 11 aft (starboard side) and in the casino. You cannot smoke in the casino unless you are seated and playing; smoking is not allowed at the casino bar or in the entire casino area when the casino is closed.

Smoking is forbidden in cabins and on cabin balconies.

Cigar and tobacco pipe smoking is only permitted at the outdoor smoking area on Deck 11 aft (starboard side).

Unlike most Carnival ships, Carnival Venezia does not have self-serve launderettes on cabin decks with washing machines, dryers, irons and ironing boards. You can pay to send out your clothes to be washed and/or pressed. As of the publishing of this guide, the cost for washing and pressing a dress shirt or blouse was $6; the cost for cleaning trousers was $6.50.

Electrical outlets

Carnival Venezia's cabins and suites offer USB ports next to beds. You'll find both U.S. 110V and European 230V outlets, as well as additional USB ports at built-in cabin desks. Americans may want to bring an adapter for charging devices in public rooms where the outlets are all European-style.

The onboard currency is the U.S. dollar.

As is typical for cruise ships, Carnival Venezia operates on a "cashless system," with any onboard purchases you make posting automatically to your onboard account. You'll receive a Sail & Sign card that you can use to make charges. This same card also gets you into your cabin.

Drinking age

You must be 21 or older to consume alcohol on Carnival Venezia.

During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually. If it's a sea day in a warm-weather destination, and you're bound for the top deck, that means looking like you're going to the beach. T-shirts, shorts and bathing suits (with a cover-up to go inside) are just fine.

During the evenings, the official dress code is pretty laid-back. Most nights are designated "cruise casual," which means just that — khakis or jeans, polo shirts, sundresses, etc. Super casual items such as cutoff jeans, men's sleeveless shirts, T-shirts and gym shorts aren't permitted.

One or two nights a cruise, there will be a more formal "cruise elegant" night where men are expected to turn out in dress slacks and a dress shirt, preferably with a sports coat or even in a suit. The suggested attire for women on such nights is cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses.

Related: The ultimate guide to packing for a cruise

Bottom line

Carnival Venezia is an affordable ship that will appeal to a wide range of vacationers including families, couples and friends groups looking for fun in a not-too-fancy, not-too-pretentious setting. It has a distinctively Italian vibe because it was originally built for Italy-based Costa Cruises, a sister brand to Carnival. But Carnival fans will find all of their favorite venues on board, thanks to updates to the vessel since it joined the Carnival fleet.

If anything, Carnival Venezia has a classier look than some Carnival ships, particularly the line's older vessels. We found its Italian theming fun in a way that will fit right into the fun-focused Carnival fleet, and its new Italy-themed venues (Il Viaggio, Amari bar) are an upgrade for Carnival in our eyes.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin