There surely have been lots of 1st cruises taken onboard Carnival Cruise Lines, but I doubt many, if any, 61st cruises have qualified as the first ever experience sailing on the popular line. Nonetheless, Popular Cruising’s next cruise – Carnival Miracle to the Mexican Riviera on November 17, 2013 – will mark my Carnival inaugural sailing with 60 non-Carnival cruises to compare it to.
Cruise Reviews from the Carnival Miracle, Mexican Riviera 2013 sailing previewed below: From Under the Toque: A Chef’s First Impressions of the Carnival Miracle Carnival Cruise Lines Exceeds Expectations From Under the Toque: A Final Culinary Review of the Carnival Miracle
Itinerary – Having Been Many Times Before, We’ll Likely Take in More of the Ship (Copyright © Carnival Cruise Lines)
As the most ubiquitous cruise line, Carnival has been both applauded and stereotyped by its millions of passengers and the mainstream media alike, and I’m genuinely excited to step aboard, try it all for myself and review and convey the experience objectively. Do you have any questions about the ship? Ask us in the comments section below this article…
The Ship
The Carnival Miracle is a Spirit-class ship and is Panamax in size, maxing out the current clearances of the Panama Canal at 88,500-tons. We’ve previously sailed on Holland America Line’s Oosterdam, a Vista-class ship, and toured the Costa Deliziosa, both corporate cousins and comparable in size to the Carnival Miracle.
Sister Ship to Carnival Miracle, Carnival Spirit in Alaska (Copyright © Carnival Cruise Lines)
In fact, the Costa Deliziosa is a hybrid class of cruise ship, combining elements from both Carnival’s Spirit-class and Holland America Line’s Vista-class. So, being the gear-heads for cruise ship design that we are, it will be very interesting to spot the similarities and differences between them.
Corporate Cousin to Carnival Miracle, Oosterdam in Alaska
(Copyright © Jason Leppert)
Amenities
Our cabin onboard will be a perfectly located balcony stateroom on deck 8 midship near the atrium elevators. Aesthetically, Carnival ships are known for vibrant colors, but the tones are pleasantly subdued in the private retreats. Also, new flatscreen televisions have recently been added. Elsewhere, the décor onboard is centered on fantasy and fictional characters.
Balcony Stateroom (Copyright © Carnival Cruise Lines)
Dining
For starters, the famed chocolate melting cake already calls to me, but there is much more to enjoy besides just dessert onboard Carnival Miracle. The ship was recently renovated in 2012 to upgrade it to “Fun Ship 2.0” standards, an expansive fleet-wide update to the onboard offerings.
The Taste Bar
(Copyright © Carnival Cruise Lines)
New onboard are The Taste Bar and The Punchliner Comedy Brunch presented by George Lopez. A fun concept, the Taste Bar is a sort of Carnival fleet sampler station serving appetizers inspired by other Fun Ship 2.0 restaurants, even those beyond the Carnival Miracle.
The Punchliner Comedy Brunch
(Copyright © Carnival Cruise Lines)
The Punchliner Comedy Brunch is a dining event that takes place on sea days in the main dining room and features 5-6 minute stand-up comedy sets every hour. Other food options range from a 24-hour pizzeria to Nick and Nora’s Steakhouse, the ship’s specialty restaurant.
The Rest of the Ship
Other upgrades made in 2012 include the introduction of the Serenity adults-only outdoor area of the ship which features its own pool, jacuzzis, chaise lounges, hammocks and bar. The eclectic two-story Dr. Frankenstein’s Lab Dance Club has also been refurbished with a more contemporary design.
The Secluded Serenity (Copyright © Carnival Cruise Lines)
We’ve become quite fond of onboard waterslides, so the Twister Waterslide will be a must try on our list. For entertainment, we look forward to going down to the Phantom Main Show Lounge and Mad Hatter’s Ball Lounge to check out Carnival’s production shows and The Punchliner Comedy Club as well as the onboard jazz club and piano bar. Lastly, we expect Gatsby’s Garden Interior Promenade to be our choice location for quiet relaxation.
Serenity Lounging (Copyright © Carnival Cruise Lines)
For more information on the Carnival Miracle, visit Carnival Cruise Lines‘ website here.
Do you have any questions about the Carnival Miracle? Ask away in the comments section below, and we’ll be sure to answer you…
HEADER IMAGE SOURCE: CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES