The Main Lobby;

The Paradise Club Casino;

Exta-Z Dance Club;

The Promenade;

And, TheTropicana Show Lounge.

One trait of Carnival ships is the virtual indestructibility of furnishings and décor. Through the lavish use of leather, plastic, and Formica, everything simply wipes clean, a thoughtful feature for a ship known for hearty partying.

Chopstix Piano Bar.

The Male Nightgown Contest. Don’t look for me, I was neither brave enough nor drunk enough to participate. I had to include these though, it was definitely, an experience I had not seen before, or since;

A Male participant….what was amazing was that some of these guys borrowed nities from table mates, whom they had only met a few days prior!

The Riviera Restaurant. The food was actually not at all bad. Much better than I had expected. The service, while not polished, was quite willing. The dining room was a bit dark during the day, and I would have preferred fabric seat coverings rather than the plastic that was used.

The Carnival pool made famous by the slide. The water was always covered by an oily film, probably (hopefully) from tanning oil. How, or why it was there early in the morning was beyond my comprehension.

Overall, Carnival delivers on every promise it makes. It provides good food, and a fun time in a fantasy environment. I was a bit annoyed by some of the constant attempts to raise money. Drinks are constantly hustled around the ship and it is impossible to watch a show without constant interruptions by drink servers. The epitome came when during the Mexican Buffet on deck, there being nothing offered to drink besides hot coffee or tea. Of course, there was always the option to purchase a drink to tame some of the Mexican spice. Come on Carnival! THAT WAS REALLY PETTY!

Copyright © 1998 Mel Litzenberger. All Rights Reserved