Working off the name Spirit, legendary Carnival designer Joe Farcus got inspired to celebrate the "creative spirit" on this ship by serving up what looks to us like every design style he could think of. So as you go from one public area to another, you can bask in the glory of Gothic, the grace of Art Deco, the exotic ambiance of Chinese, the thrill of Egyptian and so on. Carnival Spirit, which introduced a whole new class for Carnival (its sister ships are Carnival Legend, Carnival Pride and Carnival Miracle), shares its basic design with CostaAtlantica and offers all the best of earlier Carnival vessels -- a water slide, numerous bars, extensive children's facilities. It also introduced some firsts for Carnival: a fabulous supper club and a wedding chapel. Here are some of our favorite onboard offerings:
Nouveau Supper Club. Look up the ship's soaring 9-deck atrium and you'll see a striking red stained glass dome. That's part of the fine alternative dining venue on top of the Spirit -- and tops with us. The service charge of $30 per person is worth every penny.
The Wedding Chapel. This light-wood paneled space with its angel fresco feels important and it should. Real weddings are conducted here by the ship's captain when Carnival Spirit is in Canadian waters (he is even authorized to marry same-sex couples). It's also the venue for vow renewals.
The Gym. Even those who are not exercise nuts will appreciate this facility, tiered like a Roman amphitheater so that you get a view of the ocean from every piece of state-of-the-art equipment. If heavy sweating is not your thing, sit in the hot tub in the center of the gym and enjoy watching other people pump it up.
Carnival Spirit feels large, but not particularly crowded, and despite a plethora of rooms it's fairly easy to find your way around. It would be near to impossible to be bored on this vessel -- in fact, you'd have to make a big effort to hit all the bars and lounges. Our very favorite hangout spot on a recent sailing was the Deco Bar, a comfy corner near the disco. You can smoke cigars at the Deco, and a jazz trio plays nightly -- plus, they make a mean martini. We even caught the captain hanging out here one night.
The 1,300-seat, two-deck Empire dining room is done up in Napoleonic splendor, the ceiling domes painted with murals and hung with crystal chandeliers. Even the large portholes are trimmed in gold and the grand circular staircase decorated with a sculpture of Napoleon at his coronation. Flanking the entrances are pilasters in the form of female statues. You'll either love it or find it over the top (it grew on us). Two dinner seatings are featured. There are tables for two, four and six, and fewer than usual for eight or more (intimacy was obviously the goal here). The food was good to excellent (try the duck and on Alaska cruises go for the fresh salmon) and service was friendly, although not necessarily sharp. Suggestion: Get a seat near the glass rail on the second tier and you can spy on your fellow passengers below. Breakfast and lunch are also served in the dining room for those who want waiter service (if ribs are on the menu go for it -- they're yummy).
The reservations-only, 156-seat Nouveau Supper Club, at the top of the ship, features aged USDA prime beef including a 14-ounce New York strip, an 18-ounce classic porterhouse, an 18-ounce prime rib and a 9-ounce filet mignon, plus other dishes, for a service fee of $30 per person. The service and experience are fantastic (although the space feels a tad cavernous for such an intimate experience) and couples who choose can hit the dance floor to the music performed by a live duo. For another $29 you can even get an order of caviar. Expect dinner here to be your nighttime entertainment (it takes several luxurious hours).
The two-level La Playa Grill is a casual alternative for buffet-style breakfasts and lunches. The international food station at lunch features a different cuisine each day including Japanese and Indian and there's also a daily deli station and rotisserie; breakfast includes a made-to-order omelet station. At night, the offering is a no-fee Seaview Bistro, perfect for those who want a quick bite without the formality of the dining room. The pizzeria is open 24 hours a day (and the Caesar salad here is excellent). For late-night munchies there is the midnight buffet, and complimentary 24-hour room service is also available (from a limited menu).
Carnival Spirit's Artists Lobby is the main hub of the vessel, decorated in Art Deco style with lots of color, gigantic murals of soaring spirits and famous art icons (a little Monet here, a little Gauguin there), rich wood, dark antique copper accents, two grand staircases, a bar with a dance floor, and the information and tour desks.
From there, walking from one public room to another feels a bit like going on a trip around the world. Egypt is in the show lounge. England is in the Chippendale Library, which features a mural of an English garden overlooking a traditional secretary and bookcases mounted on desks that hold 12 computer terminals offering Internet access (basic charge is 75 cents a minute, though packages are available offering savings for heavy users). France is in the Empire Room, and China is in the Shanghai Bar -- the ship's piano bar, done in a "Chinoise" style with walls covered in Chinese fabric and silk screens illuminated from behind. How fun is that? Loads. Love it or hate it, "wow" will be heard on this vessel.
With most of the public spaces located on two lower decks, passenger flow is excellent -- the public rooms are connected by a two-level promenade with a grand staircase leading from one level to the other. Other neat spaces include the two-deck disco done up in funky Gothic. On Alaska cruises, the captain can conduct weddings in the pretty Wedding Chapel (including for same sex couples) as long as the ship is in Canadian waters. Vow renewal ceremonies are also offered. Shoppers will enjoy the ship's large arcade, designed to look like an airport duty-free with separate areas for perfume, $10 bargains, fine jewelry and so forth. Elsewhere are five self-service launderettes (a wash is $1, a dry is $1; soap and softener are 50 cents each).
About 80 percent of the cabins are outside, and of those, 80 percent (624 cabins) offer balconies and a sitting area. All cabins feature attractive decor in pleasant, if a bit bland, earth tones; twin beds that convert to a king; color televisions showing first-run movies (for a fee of $8.99), a wall safe, a separate vanity area, a hairdryer and a phone.
A standard inside or outside cabin measures a decent 185 square ft. Suites (Categories 11 and 12) include separate dressing and sitting areas, a refrigerator, double sinks and a bathtub in the bathroom, and large balconies. Good design and soft lighting add to a feeling of spaciousness in interior staterooms (Category 4). Category 5A staterooms with French doors have obstructed views.
Carnival's nightlife is legendary, and if you come aboard ready to party, you will not be disappointed (but don't expect a big nighttime crowd on Alaska sailings when many passengers are so exhausted from shore excursions they go to bed early). The ship has 16 lounges and bars to suit every mood. The three-level Pharaoh's Palace, decorated with hieroglyphics, 20-ft. tall stone figures and sarcophagi inspired by the golden one of King Tut, sets the scene for Vegas-style revues. Seating is in comfortable high-back theater chairs.
The joint is also jumping at the Louis XIV Casino featuring 220 slots and tables for roulette/dice (1), blackjack (10) and poker (2). There are sing-alongs in the Shanghai Piano Bar, smooth jazz in Club Cool and disco in Dancin' (a two-tiered dance club with a two-story 20-by-20-ft. video wall with 48-inch monitors). The Champions sports bar offers big screen televisions for catching the big games. You can sip a cappuccino and people-watch in the Fountain Cafe on the promenade. You can smoke cigars and listen to decent jazz in the comfy Deco Bar. And for late-night entertainment, musical and comedy acts are presented in the Versailles Lounge.
The Grecian-inspired, Steiner-operated Nautica Spa incorporates Doric columns and hand-painted murals featuring a Greek vase motif and depictions of Olympic events. The two-level, 13,700-square-ft. oceanview facility, located forward on Decks 9 and 10, offers sauna, steam, beauty salon, one whirlpool (within the gym; there are four others aboard) and 10 treatment rooms for European-style therapies including Aroma Stone (using heated, scented oils and warm basalt stones). The decently sized aerobics room is mirrored so you can watch yourself sweat, and the gym, one of our favorites at sea, features a tiered design so from every piece of equipment you get ocean views.
The equipment includes 10 Quinton treadmills, 4 Stairmaster stair climbers, an assortment of Life Fitness cycles and elliptical machines, Keiser progressive resistance machines, and free weights. There's a jogging track (15 times around equals a mile) and three swimming pools, one of which is covered by a retractable dome for all-weather use (key in Alaska where it can be chilly). Kids get a separate splash pool and the young -- and young at heart -- can enjoy a spiral water slide. The ship offers a lot of open deck space for outdoor sunning as well.
The line's complimentary Camp Carnival program with activities for children ages 2 to 15 has its own "Fun House," a 2,400-square-ft. enclosed play area. Themed to the bottom of the sea, it has three areas connected by tunnels -- one area for crafts, a second one for computer games and a third one for games -- plus a video wall for movies and cartoons. One deck below is an arcade with video games and virtual reality-based games. An outdoor play area offers mini-basketball, jungle gyms and other playground equipment.
A children's wading pool and a corkscrew water slide are among the opportunities for kids to make a splash. Supervised activities are featured morning 'til night. Special on Alaska cruises are activities like creating totem poles and special kids-only lectures by naturalists discussing the region's sea, animal and plant life. Children's menus are featured in the main dining room and kids can dine with the counselors on Lido Deck one night each cruise. A Fountain Fun card, good for unlimited soft drinks, costs $19.95 for seven-day voyages. Babysitting is available from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m. at the Fun House ($5 for the first child and $3 for each additional child in the same family).
For one or two nights, a dark suit or formal attire is suggested -- with most men opting for suits. The dress code for the rest of the evenings ranges from a sport coat and tie to casual resort wear. For Alaska, layers, comfortable walking shoes and rain gear are recommended.
For one or two nights, a dark suit or formal attire is suggested -- with most men opting for suits. The dress code for the rest of the evenings ranges from sport coat and tie to resort wear. For Alaska, layers, comfortable walking shoes and rain gear are recommended.
Tips of $10 per person, per day are added to your shipboard account. A 15 percent gratuity is added to bar bills.
SOUTHBOUND ALASKA CRUISE ITINERARY
ANCHORAGE (WHITTIER), AK
Located at the upper end of Cook Inlet in the Gulf of Alaska, Anchorage is Alaska's largest community. This popular tourist destination and crossroads for global air travel is only minutes away from the recreational areas bordering the Gulf of Alaska. Guests can choose to take the Grandview Cruise Train excursion which offers an incredible opportunity to view Anchorage's beautiful, pristine wilderness, including the Kenai Mountains.
CRUISE PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
Located off the coast of Anchorage, this amazing body of water hosts the largest concentration of glaciers in Alaska, including the College Fjord, a series of glaciers named after elite Ivy League schools. Keep one eye on the shoreline while you cruise, as you just may spot otters, seals, bears, eagles and deer.
CRUISE COLLEGE FJORD
College Fjord was discovered during an 1899 expedition funded by Ivy League colleges. As a result, all of the glaciers were named after the various schools in their honor. Located in the northwest corner of Prince William Sound, College Fjord is surrounded by over a dozen glaciers, the largest of which is called Harvard Galcier. As you sail along enjoying the serenity and natural beauty of this destination, listen for the splash of glaciers calving into the water below.
SITKA, AK
Sitka, the only major city on Alaska's Baranof Island, is the beneficiary of three distinct cultures: Tlingit Indian, Russian and American. You'll find relics of all three cultures throughout the area. With the spectacular natural beauty of Sitka Sound, its fascinating history, unique totem park and Mount Edgecomb - a dormant volcano which rises above the harbor - Sitka is definitely a treasure in the Alaskan wilderness.
JUNEAU, AK
Juneau, Alaska is considered by many to be the most beautiful capital city in the nation. Checking in at just a little over 3,100-square-miles, Juneau qualifies as the biggest American city - geographically, that is. The terrain is hilly and winding, and narrow streets present a small-town quaintness existing side-by-side with cosmopolitan sophistication. You'll find great shopping, fine restaurants and superb museums.
SKAGWAY, AK
As your ship approaches Skagway, you'll see the town resting peacefully at the base of a river valley bordered by the Coast Mountains. The mountains, ranging from 5,000- to 7,000-ft. in height, seem to rise straight up from the saltwater fjord. Once on land, the streets of Skagway draw you back over 100 years, when this idyllic native fishing village was overrun by hordes of prospectors. Today, wooden sidewalks, old-fashioned saloons, quaint gift shops and horse-drawn carriages serve as reminders of the Alaskan Gold Rush days.
CRUISE LYNN CANAL
Stretching nearly 100 miles through some of Alaska's most breathtaking scenery, Lynn Canal is the longest glacial fjord in North America. As you cruise through this regal landscape you'll be awed by hanging glaciers, towering waterfalls and majestic mountains.
KETCHIKAN, AK
A popular destination along Alaska's famed Inside Passage, Ketchikan is teeming with Native American culture. Home of the largest concentration of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people in the state, this extraordinarily beautiful city on Revillagigedo Island boasts the world's largest collection of totem poles, and an equally impressive selection of museums and cultural centers featuring Native dance, carvings and artifacts. Ketchikan's calm waters and surprisingly gentle climate make it a favorite of sports fishermen.
CRUISE INSIDE PASSAGE
Located right along the coast of British Columbia, the Inside Passage is the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world. Watch the water for orcas and humpback whales as you cruise the passage to the historic Alaskan ports of Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan.
DIS-EMBARK IN VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA
Vancouver is a dream-like, mountain-ringed city blessed with a huge natural harbor that remains ice-free year-round. Wide open spaces, beautiful beaches, tall skyscrapers and an enchanting rainforest all mingle together to create a most relaxed and stress-free setting. Most folks come here to get away from it all, and enjoy fantastic cuisine, world-class entertainment, and unlimited shopping opportunities.
Nouveau Supper Club. Look up the ship's soaring 9-deck atrium and you'll see a striking red stained glass dome. That's part of the fine alternative dining venue on top of the Spirit -- and tops with us. The service charge of $30 per person is worth every penny.
