Today Carnival Cruise Line announced a new concept called "Costa by Carnival" that will debut in the United States in 2023. Costa By Carnival is a team effort where Carnival Cruise Line will operate two Costa Cruise ships and guests will enjoy the Carnival Cruise service, food, and entertainment, but will enjoy these offerings on a ship with Costa's design features. 
            The Costa Firenze and Costa Venezia are two ships that will be a part of the Costa By Carnival program. The Costa Firenze will come to the US in spring 2023 to sail from New York City and the Costa Venezia will come to the US in spring 2024 to sail from Long Beach, California. Both ships are technically classified as Vista Class ships based on their size & design, but Carnival will be referring to both of these ships as Venice Class Ships when they arrive in the US. 
                    Until the ships arrive in the United States they will continue sailing their already scheduled Costa Cruise itineraries. When the ships are assigned to Carnival Cruise Line they will each go into a dry-dock. The scope of work that will be completed is not yet determined. According to John Heald's Facebook, these Costa by Carnival cruises will be operated by Carnival Cruise Line crew, have the expected Carnival entertainment, cruises sold through Carnival Cruise sales channels, be subject to Carnival Cruise ticketing policies, and Carnival VIFP loyalty program will apply. The exact features and restaurants onboard will be announced later according to John Heald. 

For more information I recommend checking out Carnival Cruise Line's News website: Click Here (link will open in a new window away from RyG's Cruise Guide). 

       Princess Cruise Line will be sailing from Galveston for a season starting in December 2022 through April 2022. In December 2022 the Ruby Princess is scheduled to reposition from San Francisco to Galveston. 

About The Ruby Princess
              The Ruby Princess is one of Princess Cruise Lines' Crown Class ships. The ship's inaugural cruise was in 2008 and can carry a guest capacity of 3,080 and crew of approximately 1,200. In terms of size, the ship is 951 feet in length and has a gross tonnage of 113,561. 

First Cruise From Galveston
​                  In December 2022 the Ruby Princess will reposition to Galveston and is scheduled to arrive on December 18, 2022. The first cruise out of Galveston will depart December 18th and is an 11 night cruise with ports scheduled to be Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, Roatan, Belize City, Costa Maya, and Cozumel. 

Typical Itineraries & Sailings From Galveston
                  Starting in January 2023 the Ruby Princess will primarily sail 7 night cruises departing Galveston on Sundays. These 7 night itineraries are scheduled to sail to Cozumel, Belize, and Roatan. Princess' booking engine shows this itinerary being available from January 2023 until early April 2023. The Ruby Princess is scheduled to have a 5 night cruise departing Sunday, April 9, 2023 with ports of call stops in Cozumel and Progreso. This 5 night cruise is the last Ruby Princess round-trip sailing scheduled from Galveston for the season before the ship departs Galveston to reposition. 

​Ending The Season From Galveston: Repositioning Cruise
                  On April 14, 2023 the Ruby Princess is scheduled to depart on a 16 night Panama Canal cruise to reposition back to San Francisco, California. This 16 night cruise includes scheduled port of call stops in Cartagena, Panama Canal Transit (not a port of call), Fuerte Amador in Panama, Puntarenas, San Juan del Sur, and Cabo San Lucas. 

2023-2024 Princess Cruises from Galveston?
                  At this time of writing, Princess Cruises has not announced any plans for a 2023-2024 season from Galveston. Hopefully plans will be announced soon if Princess will come back to Galveston again!

This information was compiled from Princess Cruises booking engine on 6/10/2022. Please note, scheduled itineraries and sailings are subject to change at any time. Please check Princess' website for the latest available information. 

         The Carnival Freedom will resume cruises today out of Port Canaveral following the ship's funnel fire. Over two weeks ago, the Carnival Freedom suffered a funnel fire while docked in Grand Turk. Guests onboard the affected cruise stayed in Grand Turk on the Carnival Freedom until the Carnival Conquest was sent over to transport guests back to Port Canaveral. The Carnival Freedom's May 28, June 2, and June 6 cruises were all cancelled as the ship sailed to Freeport, Bahamas for repairs. 
        Yesterday Carnival Cruise Line announced the Carnival Freedom's funnel technical repair was complete and the ship is on-track to sail from Port Canaveral, Florida on June 11, 2022 with guests. The iconic Carnival funnel was not fully repaired during this time out of service and instead the funnel will be have more of a vertical appearance until whale tail sides are re-added later. This gives the ship a classic look similar to what Carnival's original ships the Mardi Gras, Festivale, and Carnivale had back in the 1970's. 

Picture Of The Temporary Modified Funnel:
                    Mr. John Heald, Carnival's Brand Ambassador, posted a picture of the Carnival Freedom's funnel yesterday on Facebook. Below is a screenshot of the Facebook post: 

Carnival's Video Of The Carnival Freedom
                       Carnival's Newsroom posted a video of the Carnival Freedom showing the modified funnel. This video is available on You-Tube or you can watch the video from You-Tube embedded below. If you cannot get the embedded video below to work please try this direct link to YouTube: ​​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPnQfjckBxU

Viewing these virtual tours is extremely easy. I will give you a step by step tutorial on how to find these virtual tours on Carnival's website: 

1)   Go to Carnival Cruise Line's official website. The Carnival Jubilee has its own separate ship page & profile that contains a variety of photos, information, deck plans, and more. To make this easy on you, here is a direct link to this page: https://www.carnival.com/cruise-ships/carnival-jubilee.aspx​   (Link will open in a separate window) 

2)  Once you are on the Carnival Jubilee's page on the Carnival website look for a page called "Deck Plans". When this first comes up you may have to click another button that says "View Deck Plans". If this is the case for you click on "View Deck Plans". When you have the screen below appear you will be in the right place: ​

​5.  After clicking on "360-view", you should see a message that says, "Click Here And Drag For Virtual Tour". After you click your mouse on that, you have the capability to scroll around and look at the view Carnival has provided.

These Areas Have The 360-View Virtual Tours Available On The Deck Plans:
These areas have 360 views (in no particular order): 
Deck 4:  Family Harbor Lounge
Deck 5:  Cloud 9 Spa & Thermal Suites
Deck 6:  Theater, Cloud 9 Spa, Piano Bar 88, Java Blue Cafe, & Cherry on Top 
Deck 7:  Theater (same view as Deck 6), Casino, & Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse 
Deck 8:  Havana Bar, The Watering Hole, Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse, & Patio Pool 
Deck 16: Blue Iguana Cantina, Beach Pool, Red Frog Tiki Bar, 
Deck 17: Red Frog Tiki Bar (same as Deck 16) & Guy's Burger Joint
Deck 18: Serenity Adults Only Retreat, Sportsquare, The Ultimate Playground, & Carnival WaterWorks

Some Additional Notes:
These 360 views (virtual tours) Carnival has provided are of renderings. The ship is still under construction, which means the actual public areas are not finished yet.

     Thank you Carnival for providing this feature on the Carnival Jubilee's deck plans! While these are only renderings, cruisers can still use these to tour the ship and get excited about their upcoming vacation. Please note that public areas and renderings are subject to change. 

        Getting around your Carnival Cruise ship can be made easier if you have a copy of the ship's deck plan. For those that are not familiar, a deck plan is essentially a map of the ship that shows which lounges, attractions, or areas are on on each deck of the ship. 
             This first part of this post will give links to Carnival's online deck plans for each ship. This will allow you to look at your ship's deck plans pre-cruise. The second part of this post will share ways to use deck plans while on your cruise. 

Originally Published: 9/25/2020
Last Updated: 10/29/2022

Pre-Cruise: Viewing The Ship's Deck Plan
              Before your cruise I highly recommend taking a quick look at your ship's deck plan. Carnival's website has interactive deck plans available as well as a PDF copy of the deck plan that should be printable. The interactive deck plan is a helpful tool for pre-cruise research. Carnival has a feature built into the interactive deck plan where you can type your stateroom number and it will pull the stateroom up on the deck plan. 
                     The PDF deck plan is great because it is printable. If you are a first time cruiser or have never been on the particular ship before, I highly recommend printing out the PDF deck plan. 
                       Each of the links below will take you away from this website to Carnival's website. The  "PDF Deck Plan" links are directly to PDF documents that can be found on Carnival's website of the deck plan. All links will open in a new window. Your computer will need to have the ability to open a PDF document if you try to view one of the PDF deck plans. If a link has changed or is broken please let me know! 

Carnival Elation                      Interactive Deck Plan                PDF Deck Plan
​Carnival Paradise                   Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan
Carnival Sunshine                  Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan
Carnival Sunrise                     Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan 
Carnival Radiance                  Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan
Carnival Spirit                         Interactive Deck Plan                PDF Deck Plan 
Carnival Pride                         Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan
Carnival Legend                     Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan
Carnival Miracle                      Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan 
Carnival Conquest                  Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan
Carnival Glory                         Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan
Carnival Valor                         Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan 
Carnival Liberty                     Interactive Deck Plan                PDF Deck Plan 
Carnival Freedom                  Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan 
Carnival Splendor                  Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan 
Carnival Dream                      Interactive Deck Plan               PDF Deck Plan 
​Carnival Magic                      Interactive Deck Plan                PDF Deck Plan
Carnival Breeze                    Interactive Deck Plan                PDF Deck Plan
Carnival Vista                       Interactive Deck Plan                PDF Deck Plan 
Carnival Horizon                   Interactive Deck Plan                PDF Deck Plan 
Carnival Panorama               Interactive Deck Plan                PDF Deck Plan 
Mardi Gras                            Interactive Deck Plan                PDF Deck Plan 
Carnival Celebration             Interactive Deck Plan                PDF Deck Plan
Carnival Jubilee                    Interactive Deck Plan                PDF Deck Plan
Carnival Luminosa                No Interactive Deck Plan          PDF Deck Plan     

During Your Cruise:  How To View The Ship's Deck Plan Once On The Ship 

Option 1:   Carnival Hub App
                Carnival's Hub App is a useful tool for information onboard your cruise and once you have the app connected onboard you can view the ship's deck plan from the app. This app is free to download and is available for both Apple & Android phones. Once you are onboard the ship look for instructions on how to activate the app because most features of the app are not available until you are on the ship, in airplane mode, and connected to the ship's wi-fi network. 

Deck plans are a useful tool for finding your way around the ship. If you still cannot find something on the ship after looking at the deck plans, ask a crew member or at guest services! Most crew members know the ship's layout well and should be able to give you directions to what you are looking for.  Have a great cruise!

        Carnival Cruise Line has designated areas for smoking onboard and these designated areas will vary by ship. Where can I smoke on a Carnival Cruise ship? Can I smoke in the Carnival Cruise casino? These are both common questions that guests ask and are ones that I hope to address through this post. Please note, the smoking areas are subject to change at any time. Further, there is no smoking onboard allowed when the ship is refueling. This means areas that normally allow smoking will not allow smoking during the refueling process. Below are the designated smoking areas inside & outside for each Carnival ship: 

Carnival Sunshine Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Sunshine Casino - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Designated areas on Deck 3 Port Side FWD & Deck 10 Starboard Side Mid-Ship ​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area. ​
  
  

Carnival Sunrise Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Sunrise Casino - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Designated areas on Deck 3 Starboard FWD & Deck 10 Starboard AFT​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area. 

Carnival Radiance Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Radiance Casino - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Designated areas on Deck 3 Starboard FWD & Deck 10 Starboard AFT​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area. 

Carnival Conquest Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Tahiti Casino on the Promenade Deck (Deck 5) - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Deck 3 Starboard Side and Deck 10 Starboard Side (Mid-Ship & Aft) In Designated Areas​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area. ​

Carnival Glory Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Camel Club Casino on the Promenade Deck (Deck 5) - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Deck 3 Starboard Side and Deck 10 Starboard Side In Designated Areas​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area. 
  
  

Carnival Valor Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Shogun Club Casino on the Promenade Deck (Deck 5) - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Deck 3 Starboard Side and Deck 10 Starboard Side In Designated Areas​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area. 

Carnival Liberty Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Czar's Palace Casino on the Promenade Deck (Deck 5) - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Deck 3 Starboard Side and Deck 10 Starboard Side In Designated Areas​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area. 

Carnival Freedom Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Babylon Casino on the Promenade Deck (Deck 5) - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Deck 3 Starboard Side and Deck 10 Starboard Side (Mid-Ship) In Designated Areas​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area on Deck 10 Starboard Mid-Ship. 

Carnival Dream Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Jackpot Casino on the Promenade Deck (Deck 5) - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Deck 5 Port Side Aft (Lanai) and Deck 11 Starboard Side Aft ​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area. ​

Carnival Magic Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Hat Trick Casino on the Promenade Deck (Deck 5) - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Deck 5 Port Side Aft (Lanai) and Deck 11 Starboard Side Aft ​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking areas on Deck 5 Port Side AFT and Deck 11 Starboard Side AFT. 

Carnival Breeze Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Winner's Luck Casino on the Promenade Deck (Deck 5) - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Deck 5 Port Side Aft Outside The Nightclub and Deck 11 Starboard Side Aft ​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area. 

Carnival Vista Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Vista Casino on Deck 4 - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Deck 5 Port & Starboard Side FWD on the Lanai and Deck 11 Fwd & Aft Starboard In Designated Areas​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area on Deck 5 Starboard Side Fwd and Deck 11 Starboard Side Aft

Carnival Horizon Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Horizon Casino on Deck 4 - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Deck 5 Port & Starboard Side FWD on the Lanai and Deck 11 Fwd & Aft Starboard In Designated Areas​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas.  However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area on Deck 5 Starboard Side Fwd and Deck 11 Starboard Side Aft

Carnival Panorama Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Panorama Casino on Deck 4 - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  Deck 5 Port & Starboard Side FWD on the Lanai and Deck 11 Fwd & Aft Starboard In Designated Areas​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area. 

Mardi Gras Smoking Areas

• Interior:  Mardi Gras Casino - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
• Outside:  1) Designated Outdoor Bar Area of Bar Della Rosa On Deck 8 Starboard Mid-Ship  2) Designated Area of Deck 17 Starboard Aft ​
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area on Deck 17 Starboard AFT.​
  
  

Carnival Celebration Smoking Areas

• Interior: Empress Casino - In order to be allowed to smoke in the casino you must be playing at a designated machine or table during the casino's open hours (smoking is not allowed at any tables or games when the casino is closed). 
  
• Outside: 1) Designated Outdoor Bar Area Of Bar 820 On Deck 8 Starboard Mid-Ship 2) Designated Area Of Deck 17 Starboard Aft 
  
• Cigarette smoking which includes electronic cigarettes & personal vaporizers is permitted in the interior and exterior areas. However, cigar and tobacco pipes is only permitted in the outside smoking area on Deck 17 Starboard AFT.
  

Carnival Jubilee Smoking Areas

• To Be Announced

        Carnival Cruise Line has an offers page within the website where you can login to see if you have any special offers or promotions. Sometimes offers are specific to you and based on factors such as your zip code, spending history, cruise history, and more. Other times offers are less exclusive, but may still be a good deal. The exact methodology for determining who gets what offers is not known as Carnival does not disclose that information, but check your offers page frequently to see if you might be able to get a good deal!  In this post I will discuss how you can get to view your offers on Carnival's website: 

Step #1:  Login to Carnival's Website
​                Start by logging into Carnival's website. Carnival's website is www.carnival.com. At the top of Carnival's website there are buttons that say "Create Account" and "Login". You will want to select the "Login" button and then enter your username or email address & password. If you do not have an account, you should create one. Make sure your VIFP number is linked to this account as you will need that number in the process of viewing any offers that might be specific to you.  If you have difficulty getting an account setup or linking your VIFP number, you should call Carnival's customer service. 

Step #2: Click On "Today's Deals" 
​                   Click on the "Today's Deals" red link that has the flag waving icon. This link will take you directly to the page where you can see any offers that are applicable to you. 

Step #3: You Are On The Offers Page
​                   After clicking on the "Today's Deals" link you should be on the offers page. If you are properly logged into Carnival's website you should see your name and VIFP club number on the page. The page is divided into multiple sections which include VIFP Club Members - Only Offers, Limited-Time Offers, and Trending. The VIFP Club Members - Only Offers are tied to your VIFP Club number. 
                        If you are interested in seeing the prices offered under the offer, you can click the blue "Shop Now" button located by the offer. From my experience, the price shown on the offer's cover is typically the cheapest cruise available under the particular offer fare. The price will vary upwards depending on itinerary, ship, length of cruise, and number of guests in a stateroom. Carnival makes it clear that the advertised rate on the front of the offer is "from" which means cruises other than the lowest price will be higher. 
                     If you decide to book I highly recommend you understand the terms & conditions of the offer you are selecting. For example, I have seen some deals and rate codes in the past stipulate that deposits are non-refundable. Please just make sure you understand the terms & conditions of the offer before you book to avoid anything unexpected later! 

And that is it! I have personally seen some great offers on this page before. However, I have also seen some offers that were not great at all and would have cost more than just booking at a normal fare. Do your research to make sure you are getting the best deal possible for your vacation. I hope you are able to see a good offer that works for you and fits in your budget. Good luck and happy cruising!

Carnival Cruise Line Stateroom Continental Breakfast Room Service
             Carnival Cruise Line typically has hanging ordering forms for stateroom continental breakfast room service. When offered, guests will complete the continental breakfast order form and leave it on their stateroom door before 3am in order for it to be collected. The continental breakfast menu is not as large as what you can get in the dining room for breakfast or Lido buffet, but there are a variety of choices. You can also select a window of time that you would like the order delivered. This continental breakfast service is not offered on debarkation morning. Please note (as of 8/12/2022) - due to crew staffing shortages this continental breakfast service is not being offered on each cruise. Ask your stateroom steward onboard if this is taking place on your cruise.  You should still be able to order continental breakfast through the regular room service phone number at designated times, but the door hangar has been unavailable. 
                Below are screenshots of the stateroom continental breakfast room service menu from my Carnival Cruise in May 2022. Please note that the items offered & prices are subject to change and could vary by ship & cruise voyage. Enjoy & have a good cruise! ​

Interested In More Carnival Cruise Food? 
​Please check out my Carnival Cruise Food Unofficial Guide by clicking here.