Carnival Spirit 2016

Carnival Spirit 2016 with Talia

I was lucky enough to enjoy five days on-board Carnival Spirit to visit the lovely Moreton Island. After doing this five day cruise, safe to say that Carnival is my favourite cruise line! I stayed in an obstructed balcony room and the room was spacious which is awesome and although being “obstructed,” the tender was as high as my ankle, so you still had a 90% ocean-view which is fabulous.

Carnival Cruises definitely are the “Fun Ships.” With a range of activities from bingo, trivia, ice sculpting and many more games for children and older children (like me) to enjoy! Dr Seuss also makes an appearance on-board which is the signature character for Carnival Cruises. They have a parade and a morning tea for all the kids (additional costs do apply)! If you can’t find anything to do indoors, well there is plenty happening outdoors with the iconic Green Thunder and Yellow Thunder, the first slides at sea, mini golf and a massive sports court for the kids to keep active. For the adults, the gym is spacious and has its own separate spa which is connected to the beauty services.

The staff – where do I start with them. They are honestly the nicest staff on-board I have encountered on my many cruises. Dinner time is a ball with the staff in Empire Restaurant! The staff put on a little show every night for guests at your allocated dinner time and it is so funny! Your stateroom steward will also leave you a surprise every time your room is turned over. This little fella was left on my bed after I had come back from lunch (isn’t it just cute?!)

The ships décor is noted as “Architectures of the World.” Every room you walk in to is completely different from Egyptian to Roman to Modern, you honestly get the best of every world on this ship!

Alright now on to food and WOW is all I can say about the food on-board!

What do you think of when you say 24/7 pizza and ice-cream? All I can say is that’s where I lived haha! The pizza is cooked fresh upon order and you can change it all based on dietary requests etc. and the staff work like I said 24 hours a day! This is located in the La Playa Restaurant (this is the buffet area) so you can’t miss it! You can wait a little bit depending on what time you order and how many staff is on cooking, but the longest I waited was 10 minutes. Swirls is also 24/7 and offers ice-cream and sorbet of multiple flavours! Did I also forget to mention this is INCLUDED in your cruise fare, how awesome is that!

New additions to the ships:

• Blue Iguana Cantina – This is Mexican fast food where you can order fresh burritos and tacos and top as you please. This option is INCLUDED in your cruise fare!
• Guy’s Burger Joint – this is the acclaimed burgers that Guy Fieri has created and you can choose from either set burgers or you can choose to get a plain burger and do it up yourself! And yes, this option is INCLUDED in your cruise fare!
• Blue Iguana Tequila Bar – This is where you will get your hit of tequila whether it be on the rocks or in a cocktail!
• Red Frog Rum Bar – The acclaimed Red Frog Pub now has its own rum bar! Cocktail specialties with rum or on the rocks if that tickles your fancy.

All these amazing options are located on Lido Deck, food on one side and alcohol on the other so I highly recommend checking these out!

The Empire Restaurant is a must to have dinner at! With the shows on every night and a standard menu and changing menu, you honestly can’t go wrong with 3 courses here! The changing menu is based on the themed night – for example Mexican night had tequila glazed prawns and enchiladas (I definitely did not turn down any of these options) and of course the standard menu has the old classics of Carnival – chicken schnitty and steak. Now one thing you must do when you have dinner is try the Melting Chocolate Cake for dessert, it is divine.

The best part about being an adult on this cruise line is being able to soak the sun up at Serenity (18+.) With swinging hammocks, domes for privacy, comfy deck chairs, a separate spa and pool, you can relax whilst taking in the view of your destination whilst cruising. With a lot of dining space and a bar dedicated to Serenity, this space is heaven.

Redfrog Pub is one of the many venues located around the ship with live music being played every night and an atmosphere you can’t miss out on. This pub has its own signature beer that is brewed for Carnival called the Thirsty Frog Summer Ale and can only be purchased here!

When all shuts down for the night, the Nightclub is the place to be with the hottest hits and classics being played to continue to party the night away!

On this five day cruise we visited the lovely Tangalooma on Moreton Island and this island is just bliss. With a full stretched beach and a shipwreck at the end of it, this island has a lot to offer! Little trivia for you, Scooby Doo: The Movie was filmed here at Tangalooma! There are bits of history to learn here from the whaling era to the famous shipwreck. And if you are an adventure junkie or water sports avid, they also have you covered. From quad biking to segways to paddle boarding and para sailing, there is something for everyone! And if you are the kind of person that wants to do nothing, well that’s what this gorgeous beach is for right?

Overall I would 100% recommend Carnival Cruises as they tick all boxes that a cruise needs!

If you would like any further information, feel free to speak to either myself, Lisa or Vanessa as we all love this cruise line and can help you pick the perfect cruise!