Carnival Imagination

The 1995-built cruise ship Carnival Imagination was the fifth in an 8-vessel Fantasy-class series - together with the sisterships Fantasy, Elation, Inspiration, Paradise and the "balcony ships" Fascination, Sensation, and Ecstasy.

On August 27, Carnival Imagination left Port Willemstad (Curacao Island) for a Transatlantic crossing to Europe. The ship's AIS transponder reported as destination port ALIAGA TURKEY. In July-August 2020, the fleetmates Fantasy and Inspiration were both dismantled and recycled at Aliaga Ship Recycling Facility (near Port Izmir, Turkey). CCL Imagination was last drydock refurbished in 2019.

A total of 156x Carnival Imagination cruises were canceled - departures scheduled for the period November 1, 2020, through April 28, 2022. CCL Imagination ship was planned for homeporting in Long Beach-Los Angeles (California USA) and to operate on short-break Baja Mexico itineraries - 3-day (to Ensenada Mexico) and 4-day (to Santa Catalina Island CA and Ensenada).

The liner entered the Mediterranean waters on Sept 7 and arrived/anchored in Aliaga Bay on Sept 13. The vessel's AIS transponder went silent on Sept 14, at 14:58 UTC, when it was beached for demolition.

History - construction and ownership

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) is a US shipping company, trademarked brand and subsidiary of Carnival Corporation (shipowner). CCL was founded in 1972 as an independent company by Ted Arison (1924-1999, co-founder of NCL Norwegian). 

CCL has the Corporation's largest fleet as number of vessels and GT-tonnage (ship sizes/volumes and passenger capacities). In 2023, CCL had ~9% (by revenue) and ~19% (passengers) share of the cruise industry's worldwide market. In 2024, the parent company (Carnival Corporation) had ~51% stake in the US$64+ billion industry.

The 2052-passenger ship Carnival Imagination was one of the oldest Carnival "Fun Ships", last drydock refurbished in 2019. During drydock 2008 were added "Evolution of Fun" (Fun Ship 1.0) upgrades like "Serenity" (adults only sundeck) and Carnival WaterWorks (aqua park). The project notified a new era for Carnival Imagination and carries the USD 250 million price tag - an onboard extreme makeover that made the ship competitive with the newer liners. Ffor families were added 50 connecting staterooms and Camp Carnival was updated with a kids-only water park and supervised youth programming. After the makeover, the ship nearly appeared new - despite its definitely dated design.

During its CCL service, the vessel (IMO number 9053878) was Bahamas-flagged (MMSI number 309933000) and registered in Nassau.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Imagination staterooms (1026 total, in 19 grades) include 54x Suites (no Balcony rooms), 564 Oceanview and 408 Inside. Most cabins are sized 170-185-ft2 / 16-17-m2. CCL Imagination ship has 25 wheelchair-accessible cabins (for disabled passengers) and no Standard Balcony cabins. Grand Suites are the largest accommodations (330 ft2 / 31 m2 plus 70-115 ft2 / 7-11 m2 terrace) and accommodate up to 4 passengers. They feature sitting areas, spacious bathrooms (with whirlpool bathtubs, separate shower), VIP amenities and exclusive services.

The boat has 13 decks, of which 10 are passenger-accessible and 5 with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Onboard dining options revolve around the Pride and Spirit restaurants, Imagination's main dining rooms. Those who seek for more casual dining may find so in the buffet - The Horizon Bar and Grill. This self-serve buffet venue is where guests congregate for cereal, bacon and pancakes in the mornings; chicken, burgers, deli selections and made-to-order pizza at lunch; prime rib, lamb, turkey or pork carving stations each evening. At night the casual Lido buffet becomes Seaview Bistro for casual dinners. Also available are poolside outdoor grills, pizzeria and rotisserie; a complimentary sushi bar; specialty coffee bar and patisserie; and 24-hour room service that offers a limited menu of selections for breakfast.

Unlike other Fun Ships, there is no specialty restaurant or Supper Club onboard Carnival Imagination. However, as is also available on all of the Fun ships is Chef's Table - a dining experience that affords a dozen guests a multicourse dinner with a private cocktail reception, a tour of the galley and a master chef. This dining option takes place in a non-traditional venue, like the library or the galley, and can be booked onboard for US$75 per person.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Imagination restaurants and food bars.

• Pride Dining Room (650-seat, forward Main Dining Room, with two fixed dinner seatings, or "Your Time Dining"; offers themed breakfasts - "Seuss At Sea", for $5 cover charge)
• Spirit Dining Room (658-seat, aft Main Dining Room, with two fixed dinner seatings).
• Horizon Lido Buffet Restaurant (722-seat, complimentary self-service restaurant with various food stations; operates as a Bistro in the evenings).
• Sushi Bar (complimentary)
• Guy's Burger Joint ((Lido Deck, complimentary poolside food bar serving hand-crafted burgers and fresh-cut fries)
• BlueIguana Cantina (Lido Deck, complimentary poolside Mexican food bar serving fresh-made burritos and tacos on homemade tortillas, salsa bar, toppings bar).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The two-story Dynasty Lounge is Carnival Imagination's multi-purpose showroom. However, the Promenade Deck is where everything happens. There is the Dream Bar, a piano bar, and Illusions Dance Club and Shangri La come to life in the evening when the sun goes down. The Xanadu Lounge and Pinnacle Club attract before and after dinner crowd. El Dorado is the spot for late-night partiers.

Use of the Fitness Center is complimentary. Some yoga classes are organized for a modest fee. The top deck offers a jogging track. 8 times around the deck equals 1 mile. Carnival WaterWorks, the new waterpark, located aft on Deck 11, is fantastic. It is a great addition to Imagination's amenities. Every afternoon live musicians entertain the public at the main pool. But the best thing on Carnival ships is the Serenity. This special adults-only area features 120 comfortable lounges and two whirlpools.

Carnival Cruise Line's passengers will soon be able to enjoy the first-ever "Carnival Playtime" event that is a new partnership with Hasbro. Line's guests will be able to engage in all sorts of games and characters inspired by My Little Pony and the Transformers, onboard Carnival Imagination. Fans will get onboard the special 4-day trip between July 13-September 17, 2017 departing from Long Beach, California.

Follows the complete list of Carnival Imagination lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Imagination Grand Atrium Plaza (7-deck high midship open area served by Grand Plaza Lobby Bar)
• Internet Cafe (24-hour Internet computers room)
• The Dynasty Theatre (1300-seat, 2-level main show lounge)
• Mirage Piano Bar (92-seat)
• Blue Iguana Tequila Bar (Lido Deck, Mexican-themed poolside bar for frozens and craft beers)
• Alchemy Bar (Promenade Deck , cocktail lounge served by professional mixologists)
• RedFrog Rum Bar (Promenade Deck, Caribbean-themed rum bar for frozens and beers, also serving Carnival's private label ThirstyFrog Red / draught beer)
• Cherry On Top (bulk candy store, also selling Carnival-logoed merchandise and special occasion gifts)
• Imagination Promenade and Bar (230-seat)
• Vittorio's Cafe (58-seat specialty coffee bar)
• Shangri La Lounge and Bar (109-seat, with karaoke and dance floor)
• IIlussions Disco and Nightclub (230-seat Dance Club)
• Pinnacle Club Bar (92-seat cigar bar with piano)
• Xanadu Lounge and Bar (540-seat, hosts Punchliner Comedy Club/brunch)
• Art Gallery; Photo Gallery and Shop; Formalities Shop (tuxedo rentals, special occasion gifts); The Fun Shops (offer "Bon Voyage" store menu, souvenirs, watches, jewelry, logo merchandise, duty-free liquor, fashion boutiques)
• Circle C (kids' complimentary club lounge with movies, video games, parties, planned activities)
• 24-hour Video Games Arcade; Club O2 teens' lounge for movies, karaoke, parties
• Eldorado Casino (450-seat, served by Dream Bar)
• Serenity (adults only relaxation area with padded lounges, hammocks and two Whirlpools).
• Imagination Lido Pool area; Carnival WaterWorks Aqua Park (features the 4-deck high Twister Waterslide, 2 racing min-slides, Splash Zone - fountains, jets, splash pool, kids area)
• Camp Carnival (kids club lounge on Verandah Deck, with a complimentary program and play area) during refurbishment 2016 was redesigned and transformed into Camp Ocean.
• Spa Carnival (Spa and Fitness complex with Relaxation Room, Steam Rooms, Saunas, Massage Rooms, Beauty Salon, Gymnasium with Aerobics Studio)
• Basketball/Volleyball Court, Jogging Track, Tennis Tables, 9-hole Mini-Golf Course, Shuffleboard.

Itineraries

Carnival Imagination itinerary program was based on 3- and 4-day "Catalina-Ensenada" roundtrip cruises from Los Angeles (Long Beach CA departures) to Santa Catalina Island california and Ensenada Baja Mexico. Because of its short cruises, the vessel was an attraction for many first-timers as well as veteran travellers who really enjoyed the casual attitude and the comfort of the familiar boat.