Sunfinder Vacations

Writer M.L. Abbott based this independent review on her seven-night Western Caribbean cruise departing from Port Canaveral, Florida.

Like a kaleidoscope, Carnival Glory entertains with an ever-changing scene of action and color. No game or challenge is too far out, no color too wild as Glory takes the fleet’s “Fun Ship” motto seriously. Geometric-designed ceilings shift through a psychedelic rainbow of colors, and surprises await around each turn: Kneeling camels with saddles around the casino, big white candle figures and video walls in the White Heat Dance Club, monopoly-money table tops with dice legs in the teen club. Dining room décor goes more subtle and the African-themed Ebony Cabaret is downright tame with its African mask art and subdued upholstery with a parade of wildlife. Yes, there are some quiet spots; but no, there’s no chance of boredom.

Heard on the deck (from a regular Carnival cruiser): “I come to have fun.”

Why Carnival Glory?

• “Fun Ship” mood: Everyone is here to kick up their heels and celebrate being on vacation. The fun feeling is infectious.
• Bang for your buck: Kids’ programs, late-night adult comedy, cool jazz, hot disco, lattes, Indian scalp massages, glow-in-the-dark tattoos, a waterslide, and more.
• No wardrobe worries: Only a few trot out the tuxes -- it’s definitely a casual crowd.

Who should go
Sun lovers, music fans, casino devotees, and party seekers find kindred vacationers age 20 to 90. Predominantly from the U.S. and Canada, passengers tend to be outgoing and free-spirited, many taking advantage of entertainment into the wee hours. Glory is also family friendly with many kid-pleasing amenities.

Who shouldn’t go
If you’re seeking a quiet retreat in an intimate setting, this isn’t it. Glory’s a large ship, carrying up to 3,700 passengers, and public areas do sometimes feel congested. Those who cruise for fine dining and cultural enrichment can find more options elsewhere.

Heard on the deck (at the end of the cruise): “We relaxed a lot. We don’t do that at home.”

Hits and misses

• Don’t miss: The Guest Talent Show can be surprisingly good and is always entertaining. Also, don’t miss sitting a spell in the funky barrel-shaped blue rocking chairs by the main pools.
• Best part of the ship: Kaleidoscope Boulevard -- sit by the windows and watch the constant parade of people lounge-hopping.
• Best experience: Audience-participation events, both poolside and in the theater -- it’s hilarious what people will say and do away from home as inhibitions go out the window. (On our cruise, a retired preacher married 58 years paraded on stage in the barest red bikini swim trunks and white socks.)
• Best shipboard activities: The Carnival Colors Team Challenge -- everyone is assigned to the red team, the white team, or the blue team. Winners of activities and events all week score points for their teams, and each night, rankings are announced. Everyone’s cheering to the finish!
• Needs improvement: Research destinations before you leave home. Little information is given onboard and maps are mainly promotions for shops that pay fees to be listed. Also, guests receive pool towels “on loan,” but are charged a steep $22 if they’re lost.
• Activities to skip: Expect spa seminars to focus on sales pitches for products, and shopping talks to promote specific stores.

How to meet the captain
The captain’s welcome-aboard party spreads through several lounges, with the captain and senior officers meeting and greeting passengers. Complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres keep the crowd socializing. The captain also makes an appearance at the special party for past passengers. Around the ship, you may encounter officers getting an espresso at the Creams coffee bar/patisserie, or socializing in the Ivory Club and Cinn-A-Bar.

Heard on the deck (from a pre-teen riding the glass elevator down the eight-deck atrium): “This looks really cool!”

Glory satisfies eating whims and whets appetites for new tastes with a wide variety of dining options. Try some sushi, get a fat deli-style sandwich or freshly made bouillabaisse, or indulge in a banana split. For an intimate dinner, there’s a supper club. For snacks anytime, pizza comes hot from the oven. In the main dining rooms, waiters turn into entertainers -- all part of the “Fun Ship” experience.

Golden and Platinum Restaurants
Japanese themed, the two-level main dining rooms welcome guests with wall coverings of beautiful rosy pink blossoms and bonsai branches. Golden is smaller, seating 744, while Platinum accommodates 1,122 and gives nice views off the stern. All passengers are assigned to one restaurant throughout the cruise. Entrées arrive hot and show surprising creativity for such mass production. One appetizer offered smoked salmon curled into buds with tiny beads of sour cream and capers dotting the plate. Both grouper and an entrée of lamb loin and shanks were seasoned nicely, and the menu has separate health-conscious options. Waiters are friendly and efficient. Some of the finer dining touches are missing: No special fork with escargot, and no new fork for the salad after using one for an appetizer. But there’s a bonus -- besides dessert, waiters serve up a short song-and-dance routine, so lively it gets some guests up to dance, too. On the lower level, costumed wait staff hop onto small tables to click their heels and sing. It’s a lively kickoff for the evening.

Emerald Room
This is a gem of a supper club, with blue-and-green décor and emerald lighting. From an open kitchen, chefs add flair to a set menu which caters to red-meat lovers, but also has seafood and chicken. Including about 10 starters and 10 entrées, dishes are works of art for the eyes and taste buds. Before starters, a tantalizer (the French call it amuse bouche) arrives, perhaps a few bites of crabmeat decorated with tart, hair-thin apple slices. Lamb chops are excellent but steak lovers will want to go with the New York strip. After dessert, a little tray of truffles proves a decadently rich farewell. This restaurant has a sommelier and a good choice of wines by the glass as well as the bottle. The Emerald Room is reservations only and is worth the $25 extra charge. It’s a nice setting for an intimate evening.

Red Sail Restaurant
Nautically themed, the two-deck Red Sail Restaurant is the center of casual dining, with lots of self-serve options. Two separate buffets often have different lunch choices, one with themed specialties such as the daily Taste of the Nations, letting you sample such ethnic cuisines as Caribbean, Indian, or French. One day brings a mouth-watering chocolate buffet. Besides large salad bars, there are stations with fruit, desserts, and made-to-order omelets at breakfast. Lunch and dinner usually have a meat-carving station, and soft ice cream and yogurt are available any time.

Also found in Red Sail:

• The Deli: Open 11 AM to 11 PM, the deli serves good, thick sandwiches, including hot pastrami and cold roast beef, made to order.
• The Oriental: Open at lunch, this Asian station serves Japanese and Chinese specialties, including soups, egg rolls, stir fry, kung pao, and lo mein.
• Fish & Chips/Seafood Bistro: Open at lunch, this great little discovery offers freshly made bouillabaisse with shrimp, clams, mussels, and red snapper; cold seafood salads; calamari; and, of course, fish and chips.

Other dining options

• Sushi Salmon: Along Kaleidoscope Boulevard, this nook has free California rolls and smoked salmon or seared tuna sushi (no raw fish) with traditional accompaniments.
• Grill and Pizzeria: By the Azure Pool outside the Red Sail Restaurant, the Grill serves freshly made burgers and grilled chicken and steak sandwiches, hot dogs, and French fries from noon to 6 PM. On the other side, the pizza ovens are fired up 24 hours a day to pop out a half dozen varieties from plain to gourmet -- get a piece or a whole pizza.
• Creams Coffee Bar: This tempting spot serves espresso, cappuccino, black forest cake, chocolates, milkshakes, banana splits, and more. (Items cost from $1.75 up.)
• Late night indulgences: Once during the cruise, the galley goes all out with a Grand Gala Buffet at midnight, including ice carvings and festive dishes. People line up an hour early just to photograph it. Any night, you can graze at the Azure Bar aft from 11:30 PM to 1:30 AM, and room service works 24 hours with a limited menu of cold items.

Best dining

• Dish: The Emerald Room prepares perfectly grilled lamb chops with rosemary jus on a five-bean cassoulet.
• Dessert: Try the trio of crème brûlée -- one with vanilla, one with kahlua, and one with passion fruit -- served in the Emerald Room. A close second: Black forest cake that was light as a feather, in the main dining room.
• Restaurant: The Emerald Room’s presentations are so artful you hate to cut into them.
• Food seminar: Glory hosts no cooking lessons, but a knowledgeable sommelier leads a fun wine tasting for both novices and aficionados to check out the “body” and the “legs” of four wines.

How to…

• Get a table for two: Request a table for two when you book, or on embarkation day. Dining rooms have a number of them. On the upper levels, they’re set along the path waiters use to deliver food so don’t get up without looking to see that the lane is clear. They’re also positioned close enough that you can have conversations with foursomes across the aisles if desired. Tables for two are plentiful in the Emerald Room.
• Celebrate a birthday/anniversary: Order a cake for your room or dining table through the Formalities shop, or ask your waiter. Small cakes are $7.95, larger $9.95. Formalities also sells flowers, chocolates, and gift baskets.
• Change seating: Line up with others to see the maître d’ outside the Golden Restaurant on embarkation day (see shipboard schedule for times); or stop at the lower-level podium at the beginning of your assigned dining time.
• Dress for formal night: Some choose tuxes and sequins, but most opt for dark suits and cocktail dresses or pantsuits. Others forgo the formal evening and stick to their super-casual clothes in the Lido restaurant, or simply grab a pizza and beer.
• Dress for casual night: Anything goes really, from coordinated casual outfits to jeans and sport shirts. The two dining rooms request no shorts, T-shirts, or baseball hats, and the Emerald Room requires jackets in its “smart casual” dress code.

Tips:

• The Platinum Restaurant has open-seating breakfast and lunch for those who don’t want the Red Sail buffet.
• On some days, the Ivory Club has classical music and tea in mid-afternoon.

Glory’s kaleidoscope of colors extends to her bright and cheery cabins. Tan, gold, russet, coral, and orange mix in a medley of patterns, complemented with warm rosy-hued wood cabinetry with rope-loop pulls. Nightstands have a built-in lamp, and most cabins have a leather-like sofa, chair, and adjustable-height oval table sized right for room-service trays. Three closets -- two full-length and one with shelves -- and additional desk drawers provide adequate storage. Amenities include a mini safe, minibar/refrigerator, and hair dryer at the desk. There’s also an interactive TV from which you can book shore excursions, keep tabs on your onboard account, and watch complimentary and pay-per-view movies.

All cabins have beach/pool towels, but beware: If you don’t return the towel to the room, you’re charged $22. Oceanview cabins and higher have bathrobes. Bathrooms are fair-sized, with large sinks, glass storage shelves, and showers with curtains that tend to hug. Shower dispensers have soap and shampoo, and a basket offers samplers of such items as toothpaste, conditioner, and razors.

Cabins for guests with disabilities
Glory has four fully accessible rooms and 24 modified cabins (in inside, oceanview, and balcony categories). Some balcony cabins have ramps to the balcony. Look carefully at position and configuration of cabins as some in the bow are quite small.

Tips:

• Is that an elephant on your bed? Room attendants twist towels to create cute animals. You can try doing it at home with the “Towel Folding Book,” for sale in the gift shop for $12.95.
• Standard cabins are more spacious than on some other cruise lines. Inside cabins have 185 square feet of space; oceanview cabins, 220 square feet; and balcony cabins, 185 square feet in the room and 35-75 square feet on the balcony. There are only 52 suites, each 275-345 square feet, with 65- to 85-square-foot balconies.
• Self-serve launderettes with coin-operated machines and soap dispensers are located on most cabin decks. Washers and dryers cost $2 per load, plus $1 for soap.
• Watch your head around the TV in your cabin as the supporting shelf extends out.
• Gratuities of $70 per passenger for room attendants and dining room staff are automatically added to shipboard accounts, but guests can adjust the amount.

The music starts mid-morning and rarely stops until the wee hours. Sunbathe to calypso and reggae, cool down with afternoon classical scores, dance to evening rock ‘n’ roll, and join a piano bar sing-along, but save energy for the late-night disco. The week isn’t all about music, though. There are games (some mimicking TV reality hits), excellent Vegas-style shows, pool activities, karaoke, bingo, art auctions, and casino gaming at one of the largest casinos afloat.

Heard on the deck: “If you don’t have fun on this cruise, it’s your own fault.”

Bars, lounges, and casino
Most venues are on or near Promenade Deck. The fun spots are Bar Blue, with giant peacock feather décor and a large karaoke crowds; and Cinn-A-Bar, the popular piano bar with frequent 30-something singles gatherings. Slip down one level to the Ivory Club, a cigar and jazz hangout (and the site of a great jazz ensemble -- we wanted to stow away another week just to hear them). The Egyptian-motif casino is the late-night hotspot, attracting almost everyone, if only to take a picture seated on one of the camel figures or by the Anubis jackal-headed god statues.

Swimming pools
Adults get as big a kick on the winding waterslide as kids do. The tiered Lido Deck assures good views of action on the waterslide, in the pools and hot tubs, and on the stage (the site of the always popular hairy chest contest, with everyone watching the antics of contestants). Lido Deck has a forward pool and hot tub beneath the slide and a midship pool with two hot tubs. On the stern another pool and two hot tubs stay open later; it’s generally more of an adult area. A fourth wading pool is outside the kids’ Camp Carnival area.

Shows
The main theater is the three-level Amber Palace, a rococo-type room honoring the famed Russian treasure with paintings of Russian czars and czarinas, a beautiful sparkling amber stage curtain, a huge chandelier, and amber mosaics. The Glory Singers and Dancers usually do a couple of major productions with outstanding choreography. These productions are augmented by visiting entertainers, usually a magician and comedian. The late-night adult comedy show usually draws a big turnout, as does the passenger talent show -- one of the best events onboard.

Shore excursions
You can pre-book all shore excursions at the Carnival Web site. At least check the options to help plan a schedule and determine your budget. Onboard, you can stand in line to book with an attendant, or avoid lines by booking through your in-cabin interactive TV. Sailings may have 75 or more shore excursions, each running from about $30 to more than $200. At most ports, passengers disembark directly to the pier; but at some places (like Belize), passengers must board tenders to go ashore. At tendering ports, those with tours usually disembark first.

Weddings and vow renewals
With arrangements through Carnival, weddings can be performed onboard Glory at Port Canaveral on embarkation day, as well as at some ports of call. Wedding packages range from basic ($750) to all-inclusive and must be arranged ahead of time (contact an Expedia Cruise Specialist for details). Packages for vow renewals performed by the captain should also be arranged ahead of time, though you can inquire at the Formalities shop for last-minute opportunities (proof of marriage is required).

Looking for…

• Quietest spot: During the day, quiet seats can be found in Bar Blue, Ebony Cabaret, and the small library. Outside, try the upper decks forward and aft, or the adult-only topless sundeck.
• Liveliest spot: Camel Club Casino -- where the slots machines and tables stay busy all night.
• Most popular activity: Bingo games, karaoke, and the poolside hairy chest contest are all well-attended.
• Best view: Best views are from Deck 14, the highest; and the funnel deck adult-only topless sunning area.
• Best show: In the Amber Palace, the Rock Down Broadway show, a Vegas-style extravaganza, energizes the audience.
• Best drink: This is Margaritaville country, so go for the tequila. Margaritas are often on special for $2.95, but watch out: They can creep up on you.

Tips:

• A waterslide attendant is on duty to make sure children meet height requirements.
• All whirlpools are designated for guests age 13 and older, though some younger kids use them.
• Check the deck: By elevators and stairs, black stylized numbers are woven into the carpet to designate the deck.
• If you pre-book tours, tickets are delivered to your cabin on embarkation night. See that you have the right tickets, and check them carefully to see when and where you meet. Sometimes it’s in a public room on the ship; other times, it’s at a designated spot on the pier.
• The Cyberspace Café is a niche on the forward port side of the Ivory Club. You can use your own laptop if you have wireless Internet capability, though you must sign up for a plan ($25 for 33 minutes, $55 for 100 minutes, or $100 for 250 minutes). If you use the ship computers, you pay 75¢ a minute, or purchase one of the time plans. Sign up the first day and get an extra 20 minutes free. The Internet staff is quite helpful.
• The Amber Palace is beautiful but it has 10 support poles, so watch that your view isn’t blocked. Upper levels give a better overall perspective on the show, but on the lower level, you’re nearer the action.

Spa and salon
Spa Carnival, tucked high forward on Deck 11, provides an inner sanctum focused on health and beauty. It’s not as large or as fancy as some other spas at sea, but it doesn’t lack for services. Try such exotic treatments as the peppermint salt scrub or frangipani head and scalp ritual. The salon’s hair and nail treatments start at $35 and spa options cost from around $80 on special -- sometimes even less. The full-body Swedish massage cost $109 and worked out the stress knots in shoulders and neck and eased tension in leg muscles, but strangely ended with a sales pitch for a full lineup of facial products. Beyond the saunas and steam rooms is an enclosed whirlpool in a red boulder setting, accessible through the locker rooms. So few people find it that you may enjoy it alone.

Fitness areas
The gym sports a bank of treadmills facing oceanview picture windows, and with the same view the captain has from the bridge a few decks below. About a dozen treadmills are augmented with a similar lineup of cycling and cross-training equipment and more machines to keep muscles in shape. A golf pro schedules putting contests, lessons (for a fee), and golf excursions at ports (also for a fee). Two fitness instructors lead a variety of classes, including cardio circuit training and step aerobics (free); and yoga, spinning, and Pilates fitball ($10 per class). Instructors host free seminars usually pitched toward some product for sale. They’re also available for fitness and health consultations (prices vary).

Tips:

• Looking for outdoor exercise? Head to Sports Deck midship, where walkers and joggers can do 10 laps for a mile and others can compete in group sports on the volleyball/basketball court.
• Watch for daily spa sales. On our cruise, the $109 anti-aging facial dropped to $79 and the $145 anti-cellulite treatment was reduced to $99. Specials are usually offered on port days.
• Hair and nail appointments fill up quickly for formal evenings. Book early!

Shops clustered around the Deck 5 atrium have a little of everything, from quality clothing and name-brand cosmetics and fragrances to kitschy souvenirs and sundries. One side offers costume and fine jewelry, perfumes, cosmetics, watches, dresses, purses, and colorful casual outfits; while across the atrium you’ll find the logo shop, selling clothes, toys, totes, sundries, and liquor. Beaded purses with Caribbean and Miami scenes are fun items your friends back home will envy. Check for savings on duty-free Estée Lauder, Lancôme, and Clinique cosmetics. Every day brings a new sale -- $10 watches, $1-an-inch gold, 2 T-shirts for $20, and reduced prices on designer jewelry and loose gemstones.

Tips:

• Dress purses in a wide variety go for $10 -- a good buy for something you need only occasionally.
• When you don’t have room to pack everything the last day, buy one of the small fold-up totes, starting at $19.95.

Camp Carnival will channel your child’s energy into all kinds of projects, from game shows and talent acts to scavenger hunts, karaoke, and dances. Children are divided by age groups: Ages 2-5, 6-8, 9-11, and 12-14. Camp headquarters is at Under the Rainbow, a large cheery space sectioned into an arts and crafts area, a video room, a computer lab, and a library. Outside is a wading pool and play area. Teens (ages 15-17) have their own disco, Ultraviolets, which hosts their late-evening activities including dances and games. The adjacent arcade is one of the largest afloat; it’s open to both kids and adults. Normally parents must pick up children for two hours at lunch and an hour in early evening. Most nights, kids can go to their own Camp Carnival dinner. The free program usually ends at 10 PM, though babysitting is available later (for a fee) and there are some special late-night parties (also for a fee).

Tips:

• Get the scoop on the entire week’s activities at an evening orientation on embarkation day.
• Babysitting is available from 10 PM to 3 AM and for some hours on port days. The fee is $6 per child, per hour ($4 per hour for each additional child in the same family).
• Baby strollers and walkie-talkies (handy to keep tabs on older children) can be rented onboard.
• Teens may have their own excursions at some ports.

Heard on the deck: “The week flew by. It seems like we got here only two days ago.”

Carnival Glory sails each Saturday from Port Canaveral on alternating Eastern Caribbean (Nassau, St. Thomas/St. John, and St. Maarten) and Western Caribbean (Key West, Belize, Cozumel, and Progreso) itineraries.

Heard on the deck: “I’d like to hide someplace and cruise again next week.”

• Cruise line - Carnival
• Ship name - Carnival Glory
• Type of cruise - Fun/Casual
• Decks - 13
• Passenger capacity - 2974
• Total crew - 1150
• Ship size - Large
• Tonnage - 110000
• Year entered service - 2003
• Ship length - 953
• Registry - Panama