Carnival Cruise Line is by far one of the biggest and most loved cruise lines in America. But let’s be honest, it also gets its share of negative headlines. From fights to food, Carnival seems like a punching bag for many people.
So what’s sailing Carnival really like? I’m not talking about the basics of sailing the line. I’m talking about what’s the truth behind many of the things you hear online.
That’s why I’m giving you the real deal — the good and the bad — and not holding back.
Is Carnival ‘Fight Club’?
I’m going to start with the wild videos you see around the internet. Whenever a fight breaks out, it goes viral instantly. Maybe it’s my imagination, but it seems like those fights tend to be on Carnival.
So what’s the real story on Carnival and fights? Is sailing the cruise line the equivalent of going to an MMA bout?
In total, I’ve taken close to ten cruises on Carnival, spending weeks on the ships. In all that time, the number of fights that I’ve personally witnessed is… zero. There was one time where it seemed like there may have been a disagreement and security ran toward it, but I couldn’t tell what was going on, if anything. And within a minute, everything went back to normal.
For a better picture, there are official cruise statistics reported to the FBI. In 2025, there were 22 assaults with serious bodily injury reported across all cruise lines sailing from the U.S. These aren’t necessarily fights, but a serious fight would land in this category. Carnival led those stats with eight instances. Royal Caribbean had one. Norwegian reported four, and MSC reported four.
Is there more fighting on Carnival than other lines? Could be. But the stats and even the frequency of stories you do see seem to say it’s still pretty rare. From my personal experience, that’s also the case.
‘Walmart’ on the Water?
I think anyone that’s a cruise fan has seen comments online that call Carnival something like “Walmart of the Seas.” Whether or not you love Carnival or Walmart or can’t stand them, it’s meant to be an insult. It’s saying Carnival is lower class.
So what’s the truth? Of course, I don’t have the data on the economic backgrounds of passengers. In my experience, however, if I had to guess, I’d say it trends a touch lower than other lines just looking around the ship, but nothing crazy.
In fact, if you’re comparing other lines like Royal Caribbean or NCL or MSC, you’re going to find tons of people that have sailed those lines as well, including me. So the crowd isn’t that different, but there is some difference is my take.
Now, if you own penthouses on both coasts and work in investment banking, are you going to be sailing on Carnival? Likely not. So no, it’s not going to be a wine and caviar crowd talking about the latest market moves. It’s going to be a beer and pretzels group talking about gas prices.
Real Talk About the Onboard Atmosphere
If we’re going to talk about what Carnival is really like, then we have to talk about the atmosphere on the ship. To me, it’s one of the main differences between Carnival and other cruise lines.
The cruise line’s famous motto is “The Fun Ships.” The thing is that not everyone has the same definition of fun, which I think causes some people to turn up their nose while it makes others fall in love with the cruise line.
For instance, the party when the cruise departs is a big deal, complete with line dancing. Cruise directors are a big thing on Carnival, and you’ll hear from them regularly. They are mini rock-stars on the ship. The people in general seem more outgoing than on other ships.
Carnival is also big on the hiding of ducks as a game around the ship, and you can expect to come back to your room with a towel animal greeting you. The waiters in the dining room put on a dance in the middle of dinner, which some like and some loathe.
The ship décor also lends to the atmosphere on board. Some cruise lines aim to outfit their ships with luxurious and elegant décor. Carnival aims to make things nice, while also being more fun. For example, instead of dark wood and shiny brass, interior spots on Carnival ships often look bright, with lots of color.
I can see how some folks might call aspects tacky or kitsch, and it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But for others it is what makes Carnival so much fun.
What to Know About Food on the Ship
You know those movies that always seemed to be on cable (back when we all had cable) that you’ve somehow watched a thousand times? For me, it was Vegas Vacation and there’s a scene where Clark and Cousin Eddie go to the buffet in the off-strip hotel and it’s all just disgusting slop.
When I think of a buffet anywhere, that’s the image that comes to mind. And I think that’s how some people think about food on a cruise ship — Carnival or otherwise. I get it, you’re feeding thousands of people multiple meals a day, it can’t all be gourmet.
To me, I actually rank Carnival near the top of the list when it comes to dining.
I’m not big into gourmet meals. Sure, I appreciate a good meal but when I’m planning a trip, it’s pretty far down the list of what I care about. Spending two hours on a meal is my version of hell. And while I always try to go to a specialty restaurant at least once during a cruise, for the most part I stick to the included options.
To me, Carnival is the best when it comes to the food that’s included in your cruise. The buffet and dining room? I find them the exact same as what you find on other mass-market lines. They are decent, but not spectacular.
What stands out to me are the other included options. Not only are there a lot of them, but the options are also pretty good. The deli, the pizza, BlueIguana, and Guy’s Burger Joint all actually have some flavor to them. I feel like that’s different than the free options on most lines.
Now, I could use a few more fresh options over the course of the cruise, but in general, it’s pretty solid, and not having to spend more is always a plus.
The Scoop on Ships in the Fleet
Let’s talk about Carnival ships, and take a “no BS” look at them. All told, Carnival’s fleet of ships measures around 30 vessels and frankly, your vacation can vary widely with the ship that you sail.
Take the Carnival Elation. The ship was built in 1998. Coming in at about 70,000 gross tons, it is among Carnival’s oldest and smallest ships. While it’s been refurbished, it’s still going to be way smaller and not offer nearly as many of the amenities of the newer ships.
There’s also the styling. The older ships can feel pretty dated. The ships of the ’90s and early 2000s did not play it safe with style choices, which I actually think is kind of fun because it can be way different than anything else.
Compare that to Carnival’s newer Vista-Class ships or Excel-class ships like Mardi Gras, Celebration, and Jubilee. These are still pretty unique to cruising, but not nearly as “out there” with the decor. So yeah, a big difference across ships.
One thing that seems pretty consistent across Carnival is the space per passenger. If you take the gross tonnage of the ships and divide it by double occupancy, Carnival ships tend to rank pretty low on this metric. This stat isn’t perfect, but it gives you an idea of the space available.
In my experience, that meshes with what I see. The ships just feel more crowded than other lines. In fact, if I could give one improvement to Carnival, it would be to have a little more elbow room.
More Security Than Other Lines?
One thing I’ve noticed in sailing Carnival is something that ties back to some of that perception that Carnival may be rowdier than other lines… and it’s not a good first impression in my view.
That’s the fact that security is way beefed up on Carnival. It starts with the signs at the port that warn you about bringing drugs onto the ship. I cruise a lot and Carnival is the only line I’ve ever noticed them displayed.
On top of that, they are the only line I’ve experienced where there are drug-sniffing dogs in the security line. Having to line up against a wall to be smelled in the crotch by a dog is not the way I want to start my cruise.
And once on the ship — at least on my last cruise — it seemed like security was much more prominent. I see security staff around every ship, but they were much more visible than normal.
Is Carnival Getting More Expensive?
Let’s talk about the cost on Carnival. I think the public perception is that Carnival is a “cheap” cruise line. My take is that you can absolutely find deals, but I think it’s moving more toward simply being affordable rather than cheap.
First things first, if you want to sail dirt cheap, you absolutely can. Trips start under $200 per person for some trips out of the west coast. Be flexible with your dates and you can also find deals from other ports and durations. It certainly feels like prices are moving higher, however.
For instance, the cheapest cruise from Galveston in July started at $864 for a classic week-long cruise when I checked. MSC offered a 7-day Galveston cruise starting at $740. Royal Caribbean started at $1,055.
Again, affordable but not the cheapest. On top of that, I’m seeing the cruise line push more prices for things on the ship. Carnival just bumped up the daily gratuity charge. There’s also been changes to the drink package that means a higher price. Internet packages have increased in cost. And the 18% gratuity for drinks recently bumped up to 20%.
For a vacation, Carnival still offers a deal, but maybe not as dirt cheap as it used to be.
A ‘No BS’ Look at Celebration Key
I think going forward you can’t really talk about Carnival without talking about Celebration Key. It’s not the cruise line’s first private destination, but it’s the crown jewel with millions projected to visit.
So what’s it really like? Overall, it’s pretty good. It’s large, with a lot of space for everyone. The two massive pools mean it’s easy to find a spot to swim and there is plenty of beach. Splash pad, and adults-only area (that is an extra fee), a couple of waterslides… it has everything you need for a day at the beach. If you’re going, then you should be excited.
But if I’m being straight with you, it could be better. First, you can’t help but compare it to Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay. Head to head, CocoCay I think is the better spot. It offers a lot more to do, and the island offers more vegetation and more coves so its easier to feel away from everyone.
I haven’t seen an official announcement, but when I visited there was construction going on to a new section of Celebration Key, so at least the “things to do” gap is likely going to be filled soon.
The food at Celebration Key is also a bit of a bummer. You get a meal included with the day, but everything beyond that is extra. It’s not that I need to eat a ton, but having more options than just a single meal would be nice.
So a great day? Absolutely. But not quite perfect.
More on Sailing Carnival:
- Worth It? 15+ Answers About the Carnival CHEERS! Drink Package
- What You’ll Wish You Knew Before Sailing Carnival (That Others Won’t Share)
