Celebration, built in 1987, is a 733-ft, 47, 262-ton vessel. She left the Carnival fleet in April 2008, replaced by the Carnival
Fascination in the Jacksonville port.
Celebration was renovated and relaunched in spring 2008 as part of Carnival's new cruise line, Iberocruceros, which is based out of Madrid and flies an Italian flag.
A briefing is held prior to arrival on the sights and the shopping. Italian officers and an international crew of 670 work hard to make the cruise a success for the 1,486 passengers.
The ambience is informal, and the bulk of this ship's clientele ranges in age from 20 to 50. A few younger and a few older folk may also find her fun, and Carnival is wooing an older crowd, but quiet places to enjoy a drink and conversation are almost nonexistent, and the ship is not wheelchair-friendly.
The ship offers more than 100 activities daily. Four of eight passenger decks are dedicated to recreation and entertainment. The 10 bars and lounges are throughout the ship, and several have entertainment. Three pools (one for children and one with a 114-ft water slide) complement the fitness center with weight machines, a sauna, whirlpool, massage, a volleyball court, and a golf platform. Counselors staff Camp Carnival, which caters to four age groups year-round. The terraced show room affords unobstructed views for 1,000. Several rooms have music pounding away until the wee hours. Carnival's trademark double-width promenade deck features a lounge, a bistro serving specialty coffees and sweets, and a casino offering blackjack, craps, roulette, stud poker and slots. The library is large, and a game is usually underway in the card room.
Two dining rooms with picture windows provide tasty international fare at two sittings. The piano bar just outside one of them is a great place for a drink, and informal dining is offered at the cafe and round-the-clock pizzeria on the Lido Deck. Ice cream machines in the grill are always waiting to serve those with a sweet tooth.
The 743 air-conditioned cabins come in attractive colors, and each has a closed-circuit TV, phone, ample stowage, twin beds convertible to kings, and a bath. Of the 290 inside cabins, 16 have double berths, as do eight outside ones. The 10 suites add refrigerators, safes, whirlpool tubs and balconies. Room service is nonstop. Smoking is permitted on the port side of the ship and in the cabins, but not in the restaurants.
This is a beautifully designed ship that will appeal to more mature passengers.
