Carnival Cruise Line is the world's most popular cruise line and for good reason. Known as "The Fun Ships," Carnival cruises deliver an unbeatable combination of affordability, onboard entertainment, and diverse destinations that makes them the go-to choice for first-time cruisers, families, couples, and groups. Whether you're looking for a quick 3-night Bahamas getaway or an extended 14-night Caribbean adventure, a Carnival cruise offers exceptional value without compromising on the fun.
Carnival Cruise Line operates one of the largest fleets in the world, with over 25 ships sailing to more than 700 destinations across the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Europe, Alaska, and beyond.
What Makes Carnival Cruises Different?
Carnival has built its reputation on delivering high-energy, entertainment-packed sailings at prices that make cruising accessible to everyone. Here's what sets a Carnival cruise apart:
Guy's Burger Joint - the legendary poolside burger bar created in partnership with Food Network star Guy Fieri, available on most Carnival ships at no extra charge
BlueIguana Cantina - free Mexican food all day, with freshly made burritos, tacos, and margaritas
Hasbro, The Game Show - a live, large-scale interactive game show featuring classic Hasbro games like Connect Four and Jenga
Waterworks - Carnival's signature water park featuring racing slides, a tipping bucket, and kids' splash zones on nearly every ship
Limelight Lounge - an intimate venue for comedy shows, karaoke, and live entertainment every night
Piano Bar 88 - a fan-favourite late-night piano bar experience exclusive to Carnival
Carnival Cruise Destinations
A Carnival cruise sails to an enormous range of destinations. From GetMyCruise you can search Carnival cruise itineraries by region:
Caribbean Carnival Cruises
The Caribbean is the most popular Carnival cruise destination. Eastern Caribbean sailings visit St. Maarten, St. Thomas, and San Juan. Western Caribbean Carnival cruises call at Cozumel, Roatan, Belize, and Costa Maya. Southern Caribbean itineraries reach Aruba, Curacao, Barbados, and Grenada.
Bahamas Carnival Cruises
Carnival's Bahamas cruises are some of the most affordable and fun sailings available. With stops at Nassau, Freeport, and Carnival's own half-moon-shaped private island — Half Moon Cay — Bahamas Carnival cruises are perfect for beach lovers and first-time cruisers.
Mexico & Pacific Carnival Cruises
Departing from Long Beach, Los Angeles, and San Diego, Carnival's Pacific sailings visit the Mexican Riviera including Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Ensenada. The Carnival Panorama and Carnival Radiance are the primary ships on these routes.
Europe Carnival Cruises
Select Carnival ships deploy to Europe during summer, offering Mediterranean itineraries visiting Barcelona, Rome, the Greek Isles, and the French Riviera. These are fantastic value alternatives to premium European cruise lines.
Alaska Carnival Cruises
Carnival operates Alaska cruises during summer months from Seattle, visiting Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and offering spectacular glacier viewing. Carnival's Alaska itineraries are among the most affordable ways to experience the Last Frontier.
Carnival Cruise Ships
Carnival operates a diverse fleet ranging from mid-size classic ships to the brand-new Excel-class mega-ships. Each class of ship offers a slightly different onboard experience, though all deliver the signature Carnival Fun Ship atmosphere.
Excel Class (largest): Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, Carnival Jubilee - featuring BOLT, the first rollercoaster at sea
Vista Class: Carnival Vista, Carnival Horizon, Carnival Panorama - featuring SkyRide aerial bike ride
Dream Class: Carnival Dream, Carnival Breeze, Carnival Magic - large ships with extensive waterslides
Spirit Class: Carnival Spirit, Carnival Legend, Carnival Miracle, Carnival Pride - ideal for Alaska and longer sailings
Carnival Cruise Prices
How Much Does a Carnival Cruise Cost?
Carnival cruise prices are some of the most competitive in the industry. A 3–4 night Bahamas cruise starts from as low as $219 per person. A 7-night Caribbean Carnival cruise typically starts from $499–$799 per person for an interior cabin. Balcony staterooms begin around $899–$1,299 per person, and Carnival's premium Excel Suites start around $3,000+ per person. GetMyCruise monitors Carnival cruise prices in real time and alerts you to price drops and sale events.
Carnival Cruise Drink Packages, Dining & Add-Ons
Carnival offers a range of add-ons to personalise your cruise experience. The popular CHEERS! Beverage Program gives you unlimited drinks for a fixed daily rate. Specialty dining options include Bonsai Sushi, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, and Cucina del Capitano Italian restaurant. Wi-Fi packages, shore excursions, and spa treatments can all be pre-purchased through GetMyCruise at pre-cruise pricing.
FAQs
Carnival is widely considered the best cruise line for first-time cruisers. The Fun Ships offer a welcoming, lively atmosphere, easy-to-navigate ships, and excellent value for money. Carnival's shorter itineraries (3–5 nights) are particularly popular with first-timers who want to try cruising without committing to a longer voyage.
A standard Carnival cruise fare includes all meals at the Main Dining Room and Lido Marketplace buffet, complimentary entertainment (shows, comedy, live music, deck parties), access to pools, waterslides, fitness centre, and sports deck, as well as kids' club (Camp Ocean) for children aged 2–11. Drinks (other than water, lemonade, and iced tea), specialty dining, Wi-Fi, and shore excursions are available as paid add-ons.
Carnival departs from more US homeports than any other cruise line. Major departure ports include Miami, Port Canaveral, Galveston (Texas), New Orleans, Baltimore, Charleston, Tampa, Long Beach, and Seattle. GetMyCruise lets you search Carnival cruises by departure port to find the most convenient sailing near you.
For the best cabin selection and pricing, booking a Carnival cruise 6–12 months in advance is recommended — especially for peak sailings during school holidays, Christmas, and spring break. However, Carnival also offers last-minute deals within 90 days of departure for flexible travellers.
4-Day Baja Mexico Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Firenze - 4 nights - from $207 per person - sailing dates: , , ,
4-Day Baja Mexico Carnival Cruise Line
$207 Per Person
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival Firenze
23 Nov30 Nov07 Dec14 Dec
4 Nights | Long Beach (Los Angeles), Ca - Catalina Island, Ca - Ensenada, M... More
4 Day Western Caribbean Cruise Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Conquest - 4 nights - from $210 per person - sailing dates:
4 Day Western Caribbean Cruise Carnival Cruise Line
3-Day Baja Mexico Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Firenze - 3 nights - from $219 per person - sailing dates:
3-Day Baja Mexico Carnival Cruise Line
$219 Per Person
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival Firenze
11 Dec
3 Nights | Long Beach (Los Angeles), Ca - Ensenada, Mexico - Long Beach (Lo... More
3-Day Baja Mexico Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Firenze - 3 nights - from $224 per person - sailing dates: , , , ,
3-Day Baja Mexico Carnival Cruise Line
$224 Per Person
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival Firenze
20 Nov27 Nov04 Dec18 Dec21 Dec
3 Nights | Long Beach (Los Angeles), Ca - Ensenada, Mexico - Long Beach (Lo... More
2-Day Getaway Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Luminosa - 2 nights - from $226 per person - sailing dates:
2-Day Getaway Carnival Cruise Line
$226 Per Person
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival Luminosa
04 Apr
2 Nights | Brisbane, Australia - Sydney, Australia
4-Day Baja Mexico Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Radiance - 4 nights - from $229 per person - sailing dates: ,
4-Day Baja Mexico Carnival Cruise Line
$229 Per Person
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival Radiance
26 Dec03 Jan
4 Nights | Long Beach (Los Angeles), Ca - Catalina Island, Ca - Ensenada, M... More
4-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Conquest - 4 nights - from $233 per person - sailing dates: , , , ,
4-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line
$233 Per Person
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival Conquest
23 Nov14 Dec24 Dec31 Dec22 Feb
4 Nights | Miami, Fl - Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay - Celebration Key, The Baha... More
5-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Sunrise - 5 nights - from $233 per person - sailing dates:
5-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line
$233 Per Person
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival Sunrise
27 Jan
5 Nights | Miami, Fl - Nassau, The Bahamas - Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay - Cel... More
4-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Conquest - 4 nights - from $234 per person - sailing dates: , , , ,
4-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line
$234 Per Person
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival Conquest
16 Nov25 Jan15 Feb15 Mar05 Apr
4 Nights | Miami, Fl - Relaxaway, Half Moon Cay - Celebration Key, The Baha... More
4-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Glory - 4 nights - from $237 per person - sailing dates: , , , ,
4-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line
$237 Per Person
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival Glory
02 Nov23 Nov24 Dec15 Feb29 Mar
4 Nights | Port Canaveral (Orlando), Fl - Nassau, The Bahamas - Celebration... More
4-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Glory - 4 nights - from $242 per person - sailing dates: , , , ,
4-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line
$242 Per Person
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival Glory
16 Nov30 Nov14 Dec22 Feb31 Jan
4 Nights | Port Canaveral (Orlando), Fl - Nassau, The Bahamas - Celebration... More
5-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Sunrise - 5 nights - from $244 per person - sailing dates: , , , ,
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$244 Per Person
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival Sunrise
09 Nov04 Jan15 Mar26 Apr13 Sep
5 Nights | Miami, Fl - Celebration Key, The Bahamas - Relaxaway, Half Moon ... More
5-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Sunrise - 5 nights - from $246 per person - sailing dates:
5-Day Bahamas Carnival Cruise Line
$246 Per Person
Carnival Cruise Line - Carnival Sunrise
26 Oct
5 Nights | Miami, Fl - Celebration Key, The Bahamas - Princess Cays, The Ba... More
4-Day Western Caribbean Carnival Cruise Line by Carnival Cruise Line aboard Carnival Paradise - 4 nights - from $247 per person - sailing dates: , , , ,