Remember the Carnivale?

[OceanAddict]

I have only been on one cruise- the Carnival Carnivale in 1990. We are going on the Imagination April 5th. Will I be completely and pleasantly surprised? Do any of you remember the Carnivale and if so, how does Imagination compare? Cannot wait to hear your responses:)

[Smiling Cruiser]

You will be pleasantly surprised! Rooms along straight corridors instead of rooms tucked off alley's that turn left or right. Rooms are bigger as are windows in oceanview, bathrooms, too. (Well not too much bigger.) More decks. More food choices throughout the day. Slightly bigger pools; hot tubs. I must say however, the gala shows and other entertainment on the Carnivale was just as enjoyable as it is on today's Carnival ships. Since my first cruise on the Carnivale, Carnival has only gotten bigger and better!

[OceanAddict]

You will be pleasantly surprised! Rooms along straight corridors instead of rooms tucked off alley's that turn left or right. Rooms are bigger as are windows in oceanview, bathrooms, too. (Well not too much bigger.) More decks. More food choices throughout the day. Slightly bigger pools; hot tubs. I must say however, the gala shows and other entertainment on the Carnivale was just as enjoyable as it is on today's Carnival ships. Since my first cruise on the Carnivale, Carnival has only gotten bigger and better!

 

SmilingCruiser, Thanks so much for the info! Now, I am even more excited!

B Blest:)

[baybye]

I remember the Carnivale, I was on it back in the late eighties. You will be shocked how much bigger the Imagination is. Those were such smaller ships but back them thats all we had to compare them to.

 

I just came back from the Glory the second time and I love it everytime.

 

My next cruise is on the Celebration and its small but maybe not as small as the Carnivale. But I also like the smaller ships because you don't have as many people.

 

Anyway have a great cruise and see and do everything you can.:eek:

 

Beverly:)

Camden SC

[budat2130]

They say your 1st cruise is what you always compare to and we have found that to be correct.

We sailed the Carnivale as our 1st Cruise and our 1st Vacation in 1982 for our 2oth Anniversary and it was a joy. We had a upper and lower bunk but only used the lower to the room stewards amazement. Or course I was a lot slimmer then and it wasn't any problem anyway with all the excitement of the Carnivale and the wonders and enjoyment of cruising that went with it.

NO doubt in our mind it was the best. Great company, food, entertainment, everything. We had never experienced anything like that before and it was 10 years later that we got to cruise again and the Carnivale was gone.

We have enjoyed every cruise since then and have NEVER had a bad cruise. We just Praise the Lord for allowing us to go and see part of His beautiful world and the people in it, including the company of passengers aboard each one.

We find every ship has it's own personality and wonders to enjoy and look forward to each one, but still remember the Carnivale, remembering at the time it was a whopper to us. It sure was a lot bigger than the little 18' Cobia fishing boat we used locally and or the Deep Sea Charters that we ocassionally got to enjoy as well.

You will love the Celebration and any others dependant upon your outlook and thankfulness for just being able to Cruise.

 

Happy Sailing

[KarenNY]

You will be amazed! My first cruise was also the Carnivale and that is the one that Hooked me .

The ships have changed a great deal ..But.. There is nothing like your First time.. The giddy excitement of the unknown not sure what to expect,But ends up being way more that you could ever imagin.

Keep On Cruising

[cim]

First cruise was aboard Carnivale June/July 1981. Did the Eastern. Had a blast. The talk was about a brand new ship coming out called the Tropicale. Would be able to plug in hair dryers in your room That ship came and is gone. Time flys. Saw Carnivale one other time. 1986 in Nassua from the Big Red Boat Royale.

[YoPhilly]

My first cruise was a 3-day on the Carnivale in 1989, and I've been hooked ever since. Only sailed once more on Carnival, then HAL, now I'm a fan of Princess.

[onthego4]

Our first cruise was also on the Carnivale 3/3/91. We thought this was huge. Took us all four days to figure out the layout of the ship, confusing. Met great people, drank alot and had loads of fun. I saw this post and had to pull out all the pictures for the memories. The one memory that lasted I remember the most was playing ping pong with friends we met from Long Island NY and bounced the ping pong ball right into the cake while the waiters were setting up the Gala Buffet,(due to waiters had to transport the food from one portion of the ship to another going through the open decks)

Wow. Ports were great. Excursions fun. What a great first cruise.

[duckie22]

I did a five-day on the Carnivale years ago. It was NOT my first cruise but it was my first with Carnival. I so did not like it that I vowed never to go on another Carnival cruise again. About five years ago I did a 7-day on Carnival Victory. WOW - what a cruise. Will never speak bad about Carnival again. LOL Going on Another Carnival cruise in October - Carnival Miracle - can hardly wait!!

[hrbay]

first cruise was August 1979 from Norfolk , VA to Bermuda...inside cabin, shower/toliet and bunk beds...it was rolling all the time and seas high from a storm somewhere...lots of sick people...was ever so glad to get to Bermuda...now was this Carnival ship the Carnivale? I think so..would love to be able to confirm it. The food was awesome and the midnight buffet was too...took me 10 years to cruise again and then 10 more and now I am hooked for every year. Just got off the Dream to Western Caribb...and want to be back right now.

[A2Mich]

My first cruise was on the Carnivale, believe in 1982. 7 day cruise from Miami to Samana, San Juan, and St Thomas. I remember it was a toss-up for my parents between this ship and the Norway. Never got to sail on the Norway, wish I had. The Carnivale cruise was memorable for a lot of different reasons...I remember the entire fantail of the ship lined with deck chairs (these were the days when you could actually FIND a deck chair not occupied by a book and a pair of flip-flops), was covered in this beat-to-death ugly astroturf.

 

The TINY swimming pool would have a cargo net hung across it when it was closed or empty, and I remember the water always sloshing out of the pool anytime the ship rolled.

 

The one memory I remember the most was when we were docked in St Thomas, the brand-new Song of America was docked just ahead of us, and most of the pax on the Carnivale were like "WOW! What a nice, new, BIG, ship!" The Song of America was actually very beautiful to look at as it had so much glass, compared to the old converted ocean liners, anyway.

 

I do have to say that the Carnivale/Empress of Britain was REALLY run down in the early 1980's, and she definitely looked like the 26 years old she was. Though, Carnival at that time probably didn't have the money for major refurbs, as they were building the Tropicale, and had plans for the Jubilee, Celebration, Holiday in their minds, so refurb-ing an old tug-boat was not high on the priority list at the time!

 

All in all, tiny, rundown, rust bucket that she was, we all had a great time on board, and I still run across the old Polaroid photos from that cruise from time to time!

[newsier]

I have only been on one cruise- the Carnival Carnivale in 1990. We are going on the Imagination April 5th. Will I be completely and pleasantly surprised? Do any of you remember the Carnivale and if so, how does Imagination compare? Cannot wait to hear your responses:)

 

Keep those great memories from the Carnival - on April 5th - you again will be going on your first cruise - it will be something you will never forget - again.

 

Bon voyage, have agreat cruise !

 

g

[A2Mich]

Keep those great memories from the Carnival - on April 5th - you again will be going on your first cruise - it will be something you will never forget - again.

 

Bon voyage, have agreat cruise !

 

g

 

 

Umm, sorry to tell you, but the original post was from 5 years ago - was posted in March 2007.;)

[newsier]

Umm, sorry to tell you, but the original post was from 5 years ago - was posted in March 2007.;)

 

Hahahaha - don't be sorry - thanks for letting me know! I never wander too far from the threads for my cruises, when I did - looks what happened.

 

Well - I wonder how she liked her cruise anyway.......LOL

 

g