Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Air
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle
"

Carnival Celebration: More First Impressions & Advisor Feedback

by Dori Saltzman / December 14, 2022
carnival celebration cruise ship docked overnight at portmiami

Last week, Travel Market Report reported back on some of our first impressions of Carnival Cruise Line's newest ship, Carnival Celebration. Our insights centered on three of the most important aspects of the Celebration experience: the fun, the food, and Celebration Central.

But there's more to Carnival Celebration. Here are a few more of our first impressions, along with some thoughts from an advisor who had a chance to experience the ship as well.

balcony cabin on carnival celebration cruise ship

Comfy Cabins
Carnival's cabins haven't changed much over time. They're industry standard when it comes to size, with some balconies significantly larger than others depending on the cabin category.

Things we loved about the cabins included multiple spots to plug in our devices, including bedside USB ports, the overhead light fixture meant it was never too dark inside, there's plenty of hanging space in the closets, and the bathrooms have glass doors.

Not sure if there's a new trend going through the cruise industry, but Carnival Celebration is the second new cruise ship we've come across (Norwegian Prima is the other) with metal baskets in the closet instead of drawers. They're not the most practical for storing things, though a few passengers we spoke to said they put packing cubes in them.

And in another case of “what were they thinking,” Carnival has replaced the bedside cubbies with a tiny two-level metal shelf. Not only is it ugly, it’s totally impractical.

Golden Jubilee
A true gem on Carnival Celebration is the unassuming Golden Jubilee lounge located off to one side of Celebration Central. For those not in the know, it’s an attractive, quiet lounge where you can get a range of cocktails, including some oldies but goodies and listen to piano player/singer.

Without knowing the history of the lounge, you can still have fun table hopping, looking for the “NINA”s in the tabletops that faithfully reproduce some of Al Hirschfeld’s “The New Yorker” magazine covers. Each Hirschfeld signature tells you how many times “NINA” appears in the drawing.

But the lounge is more than just a nice place to spend some time, it's a subtle and sophisticated (especially for Carnival) homage to Carnival Cruise Line’s 50-year history. Elements of the bar’s décor either come directly from another Carnival ship – like the aforementioned Hirschfeld cocktail table tops, which were on Carnival Fascination – or are reminiscent of décor on other ships.

For clients that want to know more, there's a QR code off to one side of the bar with information on all the various elements.

Aft Infinity Pool
Most people don't even realize this sweet spot exists. Located at the back of Deck 8, it’s called the Patio Pool and it's a great spot to get away from the crowds and enjoy the awesome aft views.

the heroes tribute bar on carnival celebration cruise ship

Heroes Tribute Bar
We know this isn't specific to Carnival Celebration, but we loved the location of this bar on the ship and its crystal clear dedication to soldiers, currently serving, veteran or retired.  Even better? For each drink purchased in a souvenir glass, Carnival will donate $1 to Operation Homefront.

It's also a perfect to spot to sit and watch live sports – and there are two soft serve ice cream machines, making it a great spot to grab a snack.

What Advisors Had to Say
At the time Travel Market Report sailed on Carnival Celebration, not many travel advisors had made it on the ship yet, but we managed to find one advisor who had been on our sailing.

His feedback was similar to ours.

“Overall, the Carnival Celebration is a great ship, with lots of fun things to do, great places to eat, and entertaining shows to watch,” said Kurt Dahlin, owner of a Cruise Planners franchise.

“We really appreciate all of the complimentary dining options aboard the Celebration. Besides the main dining room and buffet, there are several other locations that people can get food. There’s the BlueIguana Cantina, Guy’s Burger Joint, Shaq’s Big Chicken, and Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse. We really enjoyed that both ChiBang and Cucina Del Capitano were both now complimentary, but it wasn’t easy getting into them.”

One area of the ship Dahlin got to experience that TMR did not were the Excel suites.

“We stayed in an aft Excel Corner Suite and were absolutely blown away,” he told TMR. “These are 710-square-foot suites located on the aft corners of the ship. They have a separate living room and bedroom, each with a big screen TV and a massive bathroom with a walk-in shower, two sinks and a separate room with the toilet and a third sink.”

The balcony, he said, was huge and had a dining table for four, along with two chaise loungers, a loveseat, rocking chair and a private hot tub. The suite also comes with complimentary room service.

Like TMR, Dahlin was not a fan of Celebration Central.

“One major feature of the Mardi Gras that we had hoped they would address was the main atrium area… like just about everyone we spoke to, we found it incredibly frustrating to try and watch anything there. The only seating we could find for the Celestial Strings show was at the very back on the lower deck six. We couldn’t see anything and we had to watch the monitors they have setup because they know people can’t see. The downside here is that the monitors didn’t always show what was going on. Besides, what’s the point of going to a live show if you have to watch it on a screen? … Needless to say, we are very disappointed in this entertainment space and found ourselves not even wanting to attend any shows there because of the limited view.”

  0
  0
Related Articles
Carnival Cruise Line Unveils "Your Winning Plan" Roadshow and Competition
Carnival Firenze Cruise Itineraries from Long Beach Open for Sale
Carnival Cruise Line Adds 4th Ship to Galveston
Carnival Cruise Line Unveils 30-Day Transpacific Cruise
Carnival Cruise Line Launches 'Rock the Wave' Booking Contest
Carnival Corp. Partners with Starlink for Carnival Cruise Line Fleet
Carnival Cruise Line Invites Advisors to 'Amp Up' Their Commission
Carnival Cruise Line Names Emeril Lagasse as Chief Culinary Officer
Carnival Cruise Line Opens 2025 Bookings for Norfolk Cruises
Carnival Cruise Line Reveals Details of Carnival Venezia

MOST VIEWED

  1. U.S. State Department Updates Jamaica Travel Warning to Level 3
  2. First Hand Look at the Soon-to-Open Sam Lord's Castle Barbados, A Wyndham Grand Resort
  3. Vantage Travel Website Down, Cruises Canceled Last Minute
  4. TSA Will Now Allow Teens to Access PreCheck with Parents or Guardians
  5. Tips for Delivering Bad News to Your Clients
  6. 25 Qualifying Questions to Help You Nail Your Clients' Vacation Plans

MOST EMAILED

  1. 5 Reasons You Need to Use a Travel Advisor Now More Than Ever
  2. First Hand Look at the Soon-to-Open Sam Lord's Castle Barbados, A Wyndham Grand Resort
  3. U.S. State Department Updates Jamaica Travel Warning to Level 3
  4. Vantage Travel Website Down, Cruises Canceled Last Minute
  5. U.S. to End COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for International Travelers
  6. 25 Qualifying Questions to Help You Nail Your Clients' Vacation Plans
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Silversea Cruises Unveils 140-Day World Cruise for 2026
Silversea Cruises Unveils 140-Day World Cruise for 2026

The 140-day journey will call at the highest number of destinations in the line's history.

Read...
Here Are the New Cruise Ships Debuting in 2024
Here Are the New Cruise Ships Debuting in 2024

All the new ocean cruise ships coming out in 2024. 

Read...
Atlas Ocean Voyages Adds Third Ship, Launches New Loyalty Program
Atlas Ocean Voyages Adds Third Ship, Launches New Loyalty Program

The expansion to a three-ship fleet is a year ahead of schedule. 

Read...
Lindblad Is Latest Cruise Line to Add Starlink Wi-Fi
Lindblad Is Latest Cruise Line to Add Starlink Wi-Fi

Seven ships in the Lindblad fleet already have the super-fast Internet service. 

Read...
Riviera River Cruises Extends At-Par Pricing for Canadian Travel Advisors
Riviera River Cruises Extends At-Par Pricing for Canadian Travel Advisors

Canadian advisors can save their clients hundreds of dollars on 2023 European river cruises. 

Read...
Viking Extends Europe River Season with New Rhine Itinerary & More Christmas Market Sailings
Viking Extends Europe River Season with New Rhine Itinerary & More Christmas Market Sailings

For the first time in its history, Viking will offer river cruising in Europe all year long. 

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
Cruise Trend Outlook 2023
river cruise 2022
group outlook 2022
View All
Advertiser's Voice
https://img.youtube.com/vi/TIZwKLcPwbg/0.jpg
We Appreciate our Travel Advisors
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News |Tours & Packages |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Air |Training & Events |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy