The theme of the
Carnival Victoryis the sea, and shades of blue, green and sand—as well as fish, seahorse, seashell and mermaid (and merman) motifs—underscore the subject. The atrium carries the undersea theme a full nine decks skyward.
Carnival Victory is 101,509 gross tons of fun, the latest of Carnival's highly successful Destiny Class ships. Italian officers man the bridge, and a multinational crew of 1,100 looks after 2,758 passengers.
Passengers are of all ages, with kids galore aboard during school holidays.
From November to May, the ship undertakes standard 7-day alternating eastern and western Caribbean cruises out of Miami with three days at sea. In summer, she moves up the East Coast to cruise from New York to New England and Canada for 4-, 5- or 7-days trips, with one-week cruises taking in fall foliage in September. The ship also sails a limited schedule of 5- and 6-day cruises from Norfolk, Virginia, and Charleston, South Carolina to the Bahamas.
The Arctic Barhas icicles hanging from its ceiling and penguins cavorting on its fabrics. The tri-level show room displays more submarine decor, as well as palm bas-reliefs. The Aegean Baris the sports bar, and the Adriatic Baris the nightclub. The Irish Sea Bar—green, of course—has some Celtic design in its ironwork and an Irish scene on its ceiling, but it is perhaps the least successful venue and kind of gloomy, truth be told. Neptune Way, the enclosed starboard promenade, carries strollers looking for a place to roost fore and aft. Sushi stands line the walk. The casino is one of the largest afloat. The ship has all the activities one could wish for, with four pools (one covered), a 214-ft water slide, seven whirlpools, a stage and dance floor and shady bars. The children's area is bi-level, with an indoor play area on one deck and an outdoor section with a wading pool. The Nautica Spa, also on two levels, offers aerobics, massage, a sauna, steam room, juice bar and terrific views forward.
The two restaurants are noisy places with reasonably good fare. More interesting is the elaborate buffet, which is divided into many stations. The most tranquil place to dine on the ship is the buffet's upper level. Menu selections run from hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, minute steaks and steam-table fare to Chinese stir-fries, Reuben sandwiches, a salad bar and a pizzeria.
The 1,379 cabins are above average in size for those on a mass-market ship. All are attractively furnished—much more so than earlier Carnival cabins—and have twin beds convertible to queens. Most cabins are outsides (508 with small balconies), but inside cabins are plentiful as well. Almost all suites are on Deck 7 away from noisy public areas. Some rooms connect for families.
As one of Carnival's newer cruisers, the Carnival Victorypacks her fun into a better-looking package.
