Table Of Content
Outdoor activities include the aforementioned waterslides, pools, ping pong, mini-golf, ropes course and sports court. While indoor, the Warehouse amusement arcade will keep them entertained for hours (for a fee). The quality of kids' facilities and entertainment onboard is second to none, and Carnival nails its color firmly to the mast when it comes to kids, who are embraced onboard. Where you might expect to get a sun lounger -- the Lido Deck -- is somewhat limited, though there are balconies and alcoves on the deck above which looks down onto this space. These areas do not get sun, however; they look more like nice spaces to read a book in the shade. You'll be hard pressed to know where to start in terms of drinking onboard, there are so many bars to choose from.
Premium Balcony
The curated list includes such unusual yumminess as the Bitter Guiseppe, a rift on a Manhattan made bittersweet with Cynar, vermouth, lemon and bitters. Or try the Negroni Sbagliato, a sparkling variation on the classic Italian cocktail made with Campari, Cinzano 1757 Vermouth di Torino and prosecco sparkling wine. You also can order Amari samplers with a choice of three of the liqueurs and bitters straight up. Across from Guy's Burger Joint, the BlueIguana Cantina burrito outlet found in this location on other Carnival ships has been given an Italian twist, too. Renamed Tomodoro, it now serves Italian meatball subs, Sicilian chicken wraps and tortas de Milanese (imagine chicken Milanese turned into a panini) to go — in addition to made-to-order Mexican-style burritos and tacos. Passengers must be 12 or older to stay in a Terrazza Carnevale cabin and enter the area's private outdoor lounge.
Terrazza Premium Vista Balcony
Carnival has also introduced new Terrazza staterooms -- measuring 200 to 265 square feet -- which are similar to the Havana cabins on other Carnival vessels. Located on decks 5 through 9, the 77 cabins in the new category are available as interiors, balconies -- many with aft-facing views -- and upscale cabanas. Carnival Venezia rooms include 2,116 cabins and suites across 12 decks which range from 150-square-foot interiors to balcony rooms measuring 200 to 265 square feet to suites measuring up to 356 square feet. Carnival Venezia was originally built in 2019 specifically for the Chinese market where it sailed until March 2020, before coming back to Europe and the subsequent pandemic lockdown. So even though Carnival Venezia cruise ship is almost four years old, it hasn't actually sailed for more than a handful of months -- and now it has a completely new identity. It comes courtesy of our sister line, Costa Cruises, but there’s so, so much Carnival going into the onboard experience.
Carnival Venezia Kids Venues
Expect two shows a night, a mixture of revue-type shows, Bingo and a new how for Carnival, Color My World (which we did not see). This is an affordable way to cruise without leaving out the comfort or convenience! Register with Cruise.com to get access to exclusive rates, discounts and special offers.
Carnival Cruise Line Receives Two 2023 Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards - Carnival-News.com
Carnival Cruise Line Receives Two 2023 Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards.
Posted: Wed, 06 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The salad bar, whirlpools and the waiter-served Serenity Bar are available between 8 am - 10 pm. Hours may vary depending on cruise itinerary, portdays/seadays, weather. There is also a brand-new for fee Italian restaurant, Il Viaggio and two mainstays of the fleet – Fahrenheit 55 steakhouse and Bonsai Sushi and Teppanyaki.
Entertainment & Activities
Also new is the La Strada Grill, serving up Italian street food and sandwiches. This will be in addition to an as-yet-unnamed Italian specialty restaurant onboard that will offer freshly-baked focaccia bread and a variety of authentic dishes. The most notable new-to-Carnival restaurant aboard this ship is Il Viaggio. There, the three-course, high-end menus focus on regional Italian cuisine. Items you can expect to see on the menu include antipasti options such as house-made burrata served with Genovese pesto and heirloom tomatoes; entrees like pappardelle al cinghiale from Tuscany; and tiramisu and Sicilian ricotta cannoli for dessert.
Hotels
Both will feature dishes from Carnival’s classic Cucina del Capitano, while a new, yet-to-be-detailed specialty Italian restaurant will be showcased as an extra venue for sea day brunches and dinners. The Gondola Lounge will host other activities and live music in the space where Ocean Plaza is located on Carnival’s other ships. And for families with children, the line’s kids’ clubs will be reprised, as will WaterWorks with water slides and SportSquare and its ropes course. There’s also a lot of the classic Carnival fun that repeat cruisers know and love. Cruise food done deliciously comes from spots like Bonsai Sushi™, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse™, Lido Marketplace, and Bonsai Teppanyaki™. Places to gather and celebrate life, vacation or whatever include Piano Bar 88, Serenity Bar and Heroes Tribute™ Bar.
COSTA Venezia review
Venezia Casino (plus Annex) is a Vegas-style gambling casino equipped with various slot machines ("Coinless Fun Slot Machines") and gaming tables (Craps, Roulette, Black Jack 21, Caribbean Stud Poker, dealer-free poker tables). The Casino also provides complimentary gambling lessons and hosts regularly gambling tournaments. Guests can pay in cash or with their S&S cards ("sign and sail" /backed by the credit card given at check-in). The opening hours on seadays are - slots (9 am), select tables (10 am), all games (12-noon - 3 am), but may vary depending on itinerary port times. The Casino is closed when the ship is in port, and opens min after the ship leaves port.
The restaurant leans into the Italian theming of the vessel with a relatively small, curated menu of Italian specialties such as Tuscan-style sea bass with a Parmesan crust and steak pizzaiola from the Lazio region. Near the bottom of the ship on Deck 2, these are the least expensive balcony cabins on Carnival Venezia, in part because they have balconies that aren't quite as open and light-filled as standard balcony rooms. Because they are near the ship's waterline, the balconies are built with more protective steel than is normal, creating a somewhat enclosed "cove" effect. There are two full decks of these covered, sunless areas around the pool, and if that weren't enough, the area is topped with a glass magradome that can be closed to completely shield the area from the elements. All that said, as I saw in late May while sailing on Carnival Venezia's first voyage under the Carnival banner, it's a ship on which Carnival fans will probably feel right at home, despite its Costa roots.
Elsewhere, La Strada Grill will prepare Italian street food and sandwiches, and Frizzante will pour beverages with bubbles such as prosecco and Italian beer, as well as coffees. Meanwhile, taking the place of an Alchemy Bar will be the equally interactive Amari, serving favorites from Alchemy in addition to cocktails such as the negroni, americano, Amalfi martini and sbagliato. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don’t cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Most nights are designated "cruise casual," which means just that — khakis or jeans, polo shirts, sundresses, etc.
In a first for the Carnival cruise line, a godfather (rather than a godmother) christened the ship — comedian Jay Leno (which, with Leno’s Italian heritage, is an explicit nod to the ship’s Italian theme). The original Costa Venezia (built by Fincantieri in Italy) debuted on May 18, 2019, in Shanghai, following a March 1 christening ceremony in Trieste, Italy. Unlike is often the case, the ship’s christener was not a celebrity, but rather a frequent Costa cruiser. After a short preview cruise in the Mediterranean, the ship headed to Shanghai. Note that these are the rules for round-trip sailings out of U.S. ports of the sort Carnival Venezia will operate from New York and Port Canaveral over the next few years.
However, authentic Chinese cuisine is available in the main and specialty restaurants at any time. We feel the 4,090-passenger Carnival Venezia cruise ship will work for New Yorkers, who will enjoy and relate to its Italian touches. The one area which may be a pinch point is the Lido Deck, or main pool deck, which has a small pool and very limited sunbathing. This is adequate for northern sailings, as there are plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants to keep people occupied, as well as a retractable glass roof. But we're not so sure how the pool size will stand up when the ship moves to Florida for winter 2025. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site.
The ship's theater lounge is designed as a multi-purpose venue, so instead of traditional stadium seating (bench-style), all chairs are individual allowing different configurations. The theater also hosts pre-scheduled daily events - port talks, Carnival shore excursions meetings, land tours-related media presentations, etc. Carnival Venezia is a kids' paradise, with enough to keep any age group occupied for hours. Counsellors and programming are both outstanding, as are the facilities, which range from the waterslides, to the ropes course and mini golf; to indoor fun in the arcade and Camp Ocean to the Circle C area for teens and tweens and with multiple games consoles.
The bedding is perfectly adequate for the Carnival price point but nothing memorable, with somewhat cheap-feeling polyester pillows topped with cotton pillowcases. I love lounging on cruise ship balconies that are close to the waterline. You get more of a sense of the ship's movement through the waves and can sometimes spot waterbirds gliding just above the water. This includes, notably, many public spaces that offer design nods to the palaces lining Venice's Grand Canal. (Venice is the inspiration for much of the ship's theming.) It also still boasts its original and distinctive yellow-and-blue Costa funnel (there's no Carnival "whale tail" on this ship). Carnival Corporation, which is the parent company of both Costa and Carnival, transferred the ship between the two brands in 2023 due to shifting demand for cruises in the markets where the two lines operate.
