Two Galveston cruise announcements were made this past week. Royal Caribbean announced the Voyager of the Seas will be repositioning to Galveston in May 2023 and Princess Cruise Line announced the Regal Princess will be departing from Galveston in the 2023-2024 cruise season. 

Voyager of the Seas From Galveston
           Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas has actually sailed from Galveston in the past back when Royal Caribbean had a part-time presence out of Galveston. The Voyager of the Seas is scheduled to return to Galveston in May 2023 to primarily sail 4 & 5 night cruises. Based on Royal Caribbean's booking engine the ship's 4 night cruises will mostly depart on Thursdays and sail to Cozumel, Mexico. The 5 night cruises are scheduled to primarily sail on alternating Mondays and Saturdays. One five night cruise is scheduled to sail to Cozumel and Costa Maya while the other 5 night itinerary is scheduled to sail to Cozumel & Progreso. Right now the Voyager of the Seas has itineraries open between May 2023 - April 2024 out of Galveston.
                       The Voyager of the Seas is taking over for the Adventure of the Seas' previously scheduled itineraries. The Voyager and Adventure of the Seas are in the same class, but are only two years apart in age. The Voyager of the Seas began cruising in 1999 and is 137,276 gross tonns. The ship has 14 guest decks, 3602 guests at double occupancy, and can hold up to 4000 guests total. The ship has a crew of 1,200 from all around the world. There are 1,801 staterooms onboard the Voyager of the Seas. For more Voyager of the Seas facts please check out the Voyager of the Seas' fact sheet on Royal Caribbean's news website by clicking here (link will open in a new window away from RyG's Cruise Guide). 

Regal Princess From Galveston
                     Princess Cruise Line announced the Regal Princess is scheduled to sail from Galveston in the 2023-2024 cruise season. The itineraries for the Regal Princess from Galveston are not yet open so it is not clear yet when the Regal Princess will begin & end cruises from Galveston for the season. 
                           The Regal Princess is a Princess Cruise Line ship. The Regal Princess began cruising in 2014 and has a guest capacity of 3,560 guests. The ship is 1,083 feet in length, has 19 total decks, and 1,780 guest staterooms. There are approximately 1,346 crew members onboard. For more Regal Princess facts please check out the fact sheet on Princess Cruise Line's website by clicking here (link will open in a new window away from RyG's Cruise Guide). 
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         In each Carnival Cruise ship stateroom there will be a TV. The exact size and location of the TV in the stateroom will vary by ship and stateroom layout, but each ship has at least one TV in each stateroom. The goal of this post is to share the TV channels commonly available for watching on US cruise departures and to answer some common questions about the stateroom TV's & programming. Please note, TV channels are subject to change and can vary based on ship's location & Carnival's agreements with the network providers. 

TV Channels Typically Offered Onboard
             The TV Channels available for watching in your stateroom may vary as Carnival is only able to get channels based on network licenses, ship's location, and availability of channels. These factors determine the live TV channels that guests are able to watch in their stateroom. On USA cruises from Galveston the TV channels offered in my staterooms have been the following:

• ​CBS News (National) 
• TCM 
• Cartoon Network
• Nickelodeon
• HGTV 
• Food Network
• Travel Channel
• Discovery Channel

                  Carnival stateroom TV's also have many channels that are Carnival's programming. The below channels are typically hosting Carnival and ship related content: 

• Safety Information
• Cruise Life TV (onboard activities, Morning Show, cruise director introduction, etc.) 
• Cruise Life TV 2  (art gallery, retail, Pixels photo gallery, etc.) 
• Carnival Adventures (shore excursions) 
• Choose Shopping
• Choose Fun Ashore 
• Ocean View 
• Good To Know
• Audible Fun Times 
• Map Channel 
• Forward Camera View 
• Lido Deck / Aft Camera View 
• Music Channel 

Carnival Cruise Webcam Channels: Looking Outside From Your Stateroom TV
                        My personal favorite stateroom TV channels are Forward Camera View Channel and Aft Camera View Channel. Typically both of these stations show a live view and have some music playing in the background. Some Carnival ships have an aft camera positioned on the Lido main pool while others have a camera looking out from the very back of the ship. The view you get depends greatly on the camera being streamed on the TV channel. 

Map Channel: Know Where You Are From Your Stateroom
                              Another one of my favorite channels in the Map Channel. This channel shows a map with a live position of the ship. Typically you can see a line behind the ship showing how far the ship has traveled. Having this channel is much better (in my opinion) than having the ship post location once a day in a public area! 

Are there complimentary movies offered on the stateroom TV?
                   Carnival offers complimentary movies that are shown on two movie channels. The specific movie will vary and Carnival notes on their website that up to 16 different movies could be shown on a given cruise day. Ratings of movies could be G, PG, or PG-13. 

Does Carnival offer any pay per view movies onboard?
                        Some Carnival ships have movies available that are pay per view. Carnival's website shows that the Carnival Horizon, Carnival Vista, Carnival Panorama, Carnival Radiance, Carnival Sunrise, and Mardi Gras have pay per view movies. Guests who choose this option for watching a movie on the stateroom TV will have their Sail & Sign card charged. As of July 2022, the charge is around $6.99 per title. If you don't want to pay for a movie make sure you don't click a pay per view movie (and if you have kids make sure they don't select it either). 

Can you connect personal devices to your Carnival stateroom TV?
                           The connection ports on your Carnival stateroom TV are disabled. That means any devices that connect to your TV will not be able to be connected. Unfortunately this means anyone that wants to use a DVD player, X-Box, Nintendo, or any other device that connects to the TV will be unable to use the in stateroom TV on a Carnival Cruise. 

First Published Date: 7/30/2022
​Last Updated:  7/30/2022

     The Carnival Jubilee and Harmony of the Seas are both scheduled to start sailing from Galveston in 2023. For Carnival Cruise Line, the Carnival Jubilee will be the largest Carnival ship sailing from Galveston and for Royal Caribbean the Harmony of the Seas will be the largest Royal Caribbean ship to sail from Galveston. This post will give some basic comparison information about the Carnival Jubilee and Harmony of the Seas. 
             Although both ships are large and have numerous amenities, the Harmony of the Seas is a little larger in terms of length and gross tonnage. However, the Carnival Jubilee is a newer ship. Both ships are large in size and have a variety of different amenities and types of staterooms. This post is intended to be a starting point on comparing the two ships. I highly recommend doing further research on each cruise line's website for further information about the amenities, attractions, and dining that each ship offers. 

         The Carnival Ecstasy is the oldest ship in Carnival Cruise Line's fleet and the ship is leaving the fleet in October 2022. One of the public spaces onboard the Carnival Ecstasy is the Rolls Royce Café which had a real 1934 Rolls Royce Saloon car parked in front of the café counter.
             In anticipation of the Carnival Ecstasy leaving the fleet Carnival Cruise Line has removed the Rolls Royce car that was in front of the Rolls Royce Café. The car is moving to the Carnival Celebration which will debut in November 2022. Onboard the Carnival Celebration, the Rolls Royce will be a part of the Golden Jubilee area which will host some historic memorabilia from older Carnival ships. As the Carnival Celebration is still under construction, the Rolls Royce is being shipped to Meyer Turku Shipyard in Finland. 
                 As the Carnival Ecstasy finishes out its remaining months of service for Carnival Cruise Line, the ship will be sailing without the Rolls Royce car. Carnival released pictures and a video showing the removal of the Rolls Royce which took place in June 2022. A window was removed from the ship and the car was carefully loaded onto a crane. This occurred while the Carnival Ecstasy was docked in Mobile, Alabama. 

Video Of The Rolls Royce's Removal
                     Carnival posted a video showing the removal of the Rolls Royce from the Carnival Ecstasy. This video is a timelapse that shows the car being prepared for removal and then actually being loaded onto the crane. Carnival posted the video to YouTube. Below is an embedded copy of the video from YouTube and a link to view if you would rather view on YouTube directly. 

Link To View Directly On You-Tube:  Click Here To View  (link will take you away from RyG's Cruise Guide to YouTube)

Pictures of the Rolls Royce's Removal             
Carnival also posted a few pictures of the Rolls Royce car being taken off the ship. These photos were posted in Carnival's Newsroom website. Click Here to visit Carnival's Newsroom (link will take you away from RyG's Cruise Guide). 

          Currently, the Carnival Vista, Carnival Breeze, and Carnival Dream sail from Galveston. This combination of cruise ships gives Galveston cruisers many itinerary choices and options for cruising. The Carnival Vista has been sailing from Galveston since 2018, the Carnival Dream began sailing from Galveston in 2019, and the Carnival Breeze came back to Galveston after the coronavirus pandemic shutdown to start cruising in 2021. 
      While all three of these ships are Carnival Cruise Line's ships, there are a few differences between the three. Each of these three ships are members of different ship classes. 
         I decided to put together a chart that will compare some basic information, amenities, and features of all three of these ships. ​The information is not comprehensive, which means not all differences or features are included. The goal of this chart is to give some basic information about each ship. 

       Carnival Cruise Line's main dining room experience is not complete without ordering dessert! There are several desserts on the menu that I recommend trying even if you are already feeling a little full. One of my recommendations to try is the Banana Split.  The Banana Split is a dessert that is typically available on the kid's menu each night of the cruise, but not many guests know that you can be any age to order a Banana Split. 
            The Banana Split from the kid's menu generally consists of ice cream, two bananas, sometimes whipped cream, sometimes sprinkles, and a cherry or other fruit. This dessert can vary a bit depending on the chef, but almost always it will consist of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla ice cream. 

Why I Like The Banana Split Dessert:
            For each of my cruises over the past 6 years I have had at least one banana split during the cruise. Below are the reasons why I enjoy the banana split: 

• Portion Size -  The amount of ice cream in the banana split is generally 2-3 scoops of ice cream. Sometimes the scoops are not large, but this is because the plate is small and there has to be room to include the banana slices. If you think you are going to want more of a certain flavor of ice cream, you can order a second dessert that is just a scoop of whatever flavor of ice cream you will want more of. Generally the banana split comes with two banana slices that when combined are approximately equal to a half of a banana. 
• Sometimes Will Vary A Little Bit-   The exact appearance, size, and toppings on the banana split can vary (even on the same cruise). Some chefs have included whipped cream and syrup on the banana split before while others have only put a piece of fruit or cherry on top.  If there is a particular ingredient you do not want you will want to say something to your waitstaff before ordering because otherwise you never know what you might get on top.
• The Taste Of The Banana-  I love eating bananas and enjoy having the bananas with the ice cream. Almost every single time I have had this dessert the bananas are not too ripe and usually come a bit chilled from being next to the ice cream. 

Common Questions:

• Is this served on all cruises?  -   This dessert is generally served on all Carnival cruises. I have never been on a cruise that does not serve this dish. 
• What ages can order this of the kid's menu?  -   Although this dessert dish is on the kid's menu all ages can order this dessert! When I order this dessert I will usually ask for the banana split from the kid's menu and my waitstaff have always known exactly what I was talking about. 
• Does Carnival serve this dish on the buffet?  -   Unfortunately, I have not seen this dish in the buffet. If you want to make sure your own banana split in the buffet you could get soft serve ice cream and a banana from the main buffet line to create your own. 
• Can I order this along with another dessert?  -   You are able to order multiple desserts in the main dining room. If you are going to order a second dessert, I highly recommend ordering both desserts at the same time because your waitstaff will have fewer trips to the galley and this will allow you to get faster service. 

Below are a few random pictures of banana splits from different cruises showing how the presentation can vary. 

​The review of this dessert reflects my opinion. If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions please do not use this review to make any decisions about whether this item is suitable for your consumption, because this information may not include all ingredients or facts related to the food dish. Consult Carnival to discuss ingredients and to make sure the food item is able to be consumed by you. 
Food items, menus, and the way a dish is prepared can vary greatly. ​

         Carnival Cruise Line announced in May 2022 some temporary changes due to an ongoing crew staffing shortage. In May 2022 Carnival announced the closure of Cucina Del Capitano, Chef's Table, and stopping of the Platinum & Diamond VIFP Party. John Heald, Carnival's Brand Ambassador, recently announced the Chef's Table & Platinum & Diamond VIFP Party are making a return!

Chef's Table
            The Chef's Table experience is a reservation required experience where a small group of guests have a muticourse dinner hosted by the Master Executive Chef. John Heald announced starting on cruises departing June 30th and onwards the Chef's Table will return. Guests that already had a reservation booked through Carnival's Booking Manager will keep their reservation as planned. If space remains for the event guests can book onboard. Carnival's website advertises only 14 guests per night can purchase a reservation for this experience.

Platinum & Diamond VIFP Party
                 John Heald announced on June 24th that cruises departing that day and onwards would have the Platinum & Diamond Party. According to the VIFP Benefits page, this party is held only on cruises that are 5+ nights in length. 

Diamond Lunch/Event
                   Carnival is also bringing back the Diamond Lunch/Event that is held for VIFP Diamond guests onboard. John Heald announced the event re-started on June 24th for cruises that departed on that day. 

Although these onboard experiences are returning, Carnival has decided to keep Cucina Del Capitano closed for now. Ships that have the Captain's Pasta Bar at lunch will continue having this offered.