Where is Grandma Now?

Carnival cruise line has had a variety of ships sizes over the years. The most recent class of ship is the Excel class ship. There are currently three Excel class ships: Celebration, Mardi Gras, and Jubilee, with the Festivale due in 2027. This class of ship is huge with 15 decks. It offers a wide variety of dining options. On the smaller size are the Fantasy class ships with 11 decks. These ships were entered into service in 1990, and two of them are still in service today. Six classes are between these two in size. The two ships in the image at the top are the Celebration (Excel class) and Carnival Freedom (Conquest class).

Carnival has designed all of their ships with the same general layout. Entertainment is typically in the front of the ship. That is where you will find the lounges/theaters with the Playlist production shows and game shows like Deal or No Deal, Family Feud, and Love and Marriage. The serenity area (adult only area), fitness center, and spa are typically also located in the front. In general the food is located in the back of the ship. The main dining rooms are located on lower decks, and the buffet is on the Lido deck near the top of the ship. In the middle of the ship on the same deck that the dining rooms are located and the two decks above is where you will find the shops, additional dining choices, bars, and the casino. This general layout makes it easy to find locations and points of interest as you move from ship to ship.

I will be traveling on the Excel, Vista, Conquest, and Dream classes in the coming weeks and will point out highlights of the ships during those cruises. I will be on the Venezia, one of the Venice classes, next year. You may ask, which is the best class of ship? That answer varies for every person. Many people love the larger ship which offers a wide range of dining choices and activities. For others, those ships are too large, and they prefer the smaller ships. Each class has its own unique feature, and I enjoy sailing on all of them!