Let new-look Carnival begin
SOMETIMES it’s best to upgrade your classics, rather than create something new – and that’s what Carnival Cruise Line have been doing.
Their Carnival Victory ship has been sailing the seas since 2000, but now it’s time for it to go into dry-dock for a £156million refurbishment.
It will re-emerge in 2020 with the new name of Carnival Radiance. There will be a host of new features, dining options and suites.
The WaterWorks waterpark will have two water slides – the 203ft-long AquaTunnel and a 212ft-long Twister slide.
The SportSquare will feature a ropes course, miniature golf course, pool tables, ping-pong, foosball and a basketball court.
Dining wise, the Carnival Radiance will be the first ship in the Carnival fleet to feature Shaquille O’Neal’s restaurant Big Chicken, modelled after his fried-chicken eatery in Las Vegas. The Lido Marketplace buffet will be expanded to include stand-alone speciality counters.
There will be new bars and lounges to relax in, such as the Caribbeanstyle RedFrog Pub that will serve a variety of rums and beers, the stylish Piano Bar 88 and JaveBlue Café.
The Carnival Radiance will also feature a Cloud 9 spa with more space for a thermal suite, more treatment rooms and a wide selection of cardio and weight-training equipment.
One of the most exciting changes will be the itineraries as the Carnival Victory will mark Carnival Cruise Line’s return to European waters.
There will be various nine-to-13-day sailings to enjoy in the Mediterranean until the ship repositions for an inaugural season in New York.
A western Mediterranean itinerary leaves from Barcelona on April 28, 2020, and sails for 11 nights stopping in Dubrovnik, Kotor, Messina, Naples, and Civitavecchia. Inside staterooms start from £1199pp, including flights from Edinburgh.
To book this itinerary, or to see other itineraries, call Barrhead Travel’s Cruise Team on 0330 094 0205.