Carnival Cruise Line: The Complete Insider Guide

01The Fleet

Newest · 5,300 guests

Excel Class

Celebration, Jubilee & more comingBOLT roller coaster at sea, 6 themed zones including Ultimate Playground. Most Carnival innovations packed into one ship.

Mid-Size · 3,900 guests

Vista Class

Vista, Horizon & PanoramaSkyRide aerial bikes, IMAX theater, Havana section (Cuban-themed cabins with private pool area). Great balance of size and features.

Popular · 3,600 guests

Dream Class

Dream, Magic & BreezeWaterWorks waterslides, RedFrog Pub, most popular class for 3–5 night Bahamas/Caribbean. Best for first-time cruisers.

Classic · 2,100–2,900 guests

Older Fleet

Spirit, Conquest, Glory, Valor, Freedom, Liberty, Sunshine & moreSmaller ships, great for shorter cruises and tighter budgets. Many sail from convenient homeports.

02What’s Included vs. What Costs Extra

Included in Your Fare

All of this comes with your cruise

🍴 Main Dining Room — Your Time flexible or Traditional set dining

🍽 Lido Marketplace buffet

🍔 Guy’s Burger Joint — Guy Fieri, FREE and amazing

🌮 Blue Iguana Cantina — tacos & burritos, free

🍕 Pizza Pirate — 24hr pizza, free

🏊 Poolside entertainment

🎤 Punchliner Comedy Club

👶 Camp Ocean kids club — ages 2–11, included

🍦 Room service — continental free

Costs Extra

Budget for these add-ons

🍷 CHEERS! drink package — ~$60–70/day, all adults in cabin must buy

🍴 Specialty dining — Fahrenheit 555, Cucina del Capitano, JiJi Asian Kitchen ($35–50/person)

🌐 WiFi packages

🌊 Shore excursions

🧖 Spa, Casino & Thermal Suite

🍖 Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse — dinner (lunch free on some ships)

03Preparing for Your Cruise: The Timeline

1

At Booking

Pay deposit ($50/person on Early Saver rate — lowest deposits in the industry). Add Carnival Vacation Protection. Create Carnival account, download HUB app.

2

75 Days Before

Purchase CHEERS! drink package pre-cruise (cheaper than onboard). Book specialty dining. Reserve Camp Ocean for kids.

3

Check HUB App Regularly

Shore excursion booking opens at various times. Book spa appointments. Check for Fun Shop deals (drink/dining/WiFi bundles).

4

14 Days Before

Complete online check-in on the HUB app. Upload passport photo. Select arrival time. Set up Sail & Sign onboard account.

5

Embarkation Day

Arrive at check-in time (Faster to the Fun priority boarding available for purchase). Drop luggage at port. Complete muster drill via HUB app. Head to Lido deck — Guy’s Burger Joint is open for embarkation lunch!

04Dining & Entertainment

Included Dining

Main Dining Room Your Time flexible or Traditional set time

Lido Marketplace Buffet — open for breakfast, lunch & dinner

Guy’s Burger Joint Guy Fieri burgers — best free food at sea

Blue Iguana Cantina Mexican — tacos & burritos made to order

Pizza Pirate 24hr pizza

Deli & Mongolian Wok Stir fry to order

Soft-serve ice cream 24hr — unlimited

Specialty Dining & Shows

Fahrenheit 555 ($$$) Steakhouse — premium cuts

Cucina del Capitano Italian family-style

JiJi Asian Kitchen Pan-Asian

Bonsai Sushi Fresh sushi bar

Rudi’s Seagrill Excel class only

Entertainment

Playlist Productions Pop/rock/Motown shows

Punchliner Comedy Club Family + adults-only late shows

Lip Sync Battle Audience participation hit

Hasbro’s Game Show Interactive fun

Alchemy Bar Craft cocktail hidden gem — tell the bartender your flavor

05Insider Tips

1 Guy’s Burger Joint is genuinely one of the best burgers you’ll eat anywhere — and it’s FREE. Don’t skip it.

2 CHEERS! drink package: all adults in the cabin must buy it. Pre-cruise price is always better than onboard.

3 Carnival Vacation Protection gives 75% Future Cruise Credit (not full refund) — read the fine print, but it’s affordable.

4 Faster to the Fun ($60–100) gets priority boarding, debarkation, and tender access — worth it on embarkation day.

5 The Alchemy Bar is a hidden gem — craft cocktails made to your taste preference, not off a menu. Tell the bartender what flavors you like.

6 Camp Ocean (free, ages 2–11) and Club O2 (12–14) and Circle C (15–17) keep kids entertained all day.

7 Carnival is the most affordable mainstream line — inside cabins on 3-night Bahamas cruises can be under $200/person.

8 Havana cabins (Vista class) come with a private pool deck that’s Cuban-themed and adults-only feeling — worth the upgrade.