Carnival Pride

The 2002-built Carnival Pride cruise ship is the second of four Spirit-class CCL liners, together with the fleetmates Miracle, Spirit and Legend, as well as Costa's liners Atlantica and Mediterranea. The boat cost USD 375 million to build and was last refurbished in 2023.

The vessel (IMO number 9223954) is currently Panama-flagged (MMSI 354215000) and registered in Colon.

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 2100-passenger ship Carnival Pride introduced some significant firsts for the company, including onboard wedding chapels and alternative restaurants. Spirit-class ships also boast an impressive 80% ratio of outside cabins and lots of nice little touches such as 'designer' martinis and museum-quality artwork.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Pride staterooms (1062 total, in 28 categories) include 50 Suites, 634 Balcony, 171 Oceanview and 215 Inside cabins. The ship has 16 wheelchair-accessible cabins but no Spa cabins. Most cabins are sized 185 ft2 (17 m2). Most cabin balconies are sized 40 ft2 (4 m2). Suites are 4 types (Grand, Vista, Ocean, Junior), the largest are Grand Suites (300 ft2 / 28 m2 plus 115 ft2 / 11 m2 terrace).

The boat has 12 passenger decks of which 6 are with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

It's surprising that there is only one main restaurant on such a big ship, but the huge stern-located Normandie Restaurant works surprisingly well. With windows on three sides and design which cantilevers the restaurant's upper level over most of the lower one, Normandie somehow manages to baffle the noise of ~1000 cruisers.

For a casual meal, head to Lido Deck which entire back half is occupied by dining tables and various food stations.

The Mermaid Grille also serves as a casual dinner alternative, and Mermaid Bistro is the buffet-style Lido dining option. Instead of offering one buffet line, it divides the stations into small groupings spread around the space and surrounded with tables. Also on Lido Deck and also complimentary are the Guy's Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina.

Carnival Pride has expanded its international offerings by including Bonsai Sushi, which is not just a sushi bar, but an entire Asian restaurant. A really fine dining establishment is the Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse (fka David's Steakhouse) at the top of the Atrium and beneath the glass dome. The Steakhouse restaurant is reservations-only and at surcharge per person.

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

• Normandie Restaurant (1250-seat aft Dining Room, with two fixed dinner seatings, or “Your Time Dining”; offers “Seuss At Sea” themed breakfasts for $5; with the Captain’s Club Room restaurant annex).
• Mermaid’s Grille Lido Buffet Restaurant (1458-seat self-service restaurant with complimentary food stations; operates as dinner bistro in the evenings)
• Sushi Bar (complimentary)

During drydock 2023, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse replaced David’s Steakhouse (156-seat reservations-only restaurant) serving seafood and prime beef steaks, and featuring a dance floor and stage (for live performances).

Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse (decks 10-11) is a 2-floor premium steakhouse/seafood restaurant at surcharge (reservations recommended) with indoor/outdoor seating and open between 6-9:30 pm. The cover charge fee of $35 pp (adults/kids) includes 1 appetizer, 1 entree, 1 dessert and gratuity. Steakhouse’s menu has starters (escargots, grilled mushroom, tuna tartare, shrimp cocktail, crab cake, lobster bisque, onion soup), salads (Caesar, spinach/mushrooms, iceberg lettuce, beefsteak tomato), sides (Baked Potatoes, Sauteed Mushrooms, Creamed Spinach, Steamed Broccoli), entrees (prime-aged beef steaks – 14oz NY strip loin, 18oz rib and 18oz ribeye, 9oz filet mignon, lamb chops, chicken, Maine lobster, fish fillet from the market /itinerary based), desserts (cheesecake, caramelized apples, chocolate sampler, fresh fruits, selections of cheeses, sherbets and ice creams). The Steakhouse also serves beverages (bar prices apply) – fresh coffee/tea, dessert wines and after-dinner drinks. The food is wheeled on a cart to your table for examination. A cooking demonstration offers an hour-long presentation from a team of chefs. At the steakhouse can also be made reservations (bookings) for the “Chef’s Table” (private dinner package).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The liner's onboard collection has artworks of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, and Botticelli, as well as architectural details of Ancient Greece, Byzantine Empire, Renaissance Italy, Beaux-Arts France, Victorian England. CCL's long-time interior projector, Joe Farcus, chose “Icons of Beauty” as the vessel's theme: beauty in life, art, architecture, the human body, and the human spirit. The ship has 16 bars and lounges, 4 swimming pools and 4 hot tubs. The well-equipped kids' center Camp Carnival provides complimentary activities, luring families with children of all ages.

The Taj Mahal Theater (main show lounge) hosts elaborate grand-scale show productions. Playlist Productions are presented at night with short song-and-dance experiences and themes ranging from the '80s to Havana Nights. During the day, families can participate in Hasbro, The Game Show live.

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

• Butterflies Lounge (484-seat, hosts Punchliner Comedy Club/brunch)
• Beauties Disco and Nightclub (118-seat Dance Club)
• Taj Mahal Theatre (1167-seat, 3-level main show lounge, also used for movies, bingo games, game shows)
• Crystal Card Room (20-seat)
• The Piazza Cafe (112-seat specialty coffee bar and patisserie)
• Florentine Lobby Lounge (85-seat wine bar); Ivory Bar (106-seat piano bar); Snack Bar, Towel Bar; Raphael Foyer Lounge and Bar (66-seat)
• Starry Night Jazz Club (135-seat jazz lounge)
• The Winner’s Club Casino (278-seat, served by Winners Bar)
• Atrium Renaissance Lobby (9-deck high midship open area with dance floor and stage, served by 147-seat Renaissance Lobby Bar)
• Sunset Garden Interior Promenade (52-seat)
• The Warehouse Arcade (arcade video games)
• Via Veneto Upper Promenade (23-seat)
• The Fun Shops (offers “Bon Voyage” items, duty-free liquor, jewelry, fashion boutiques, souvenirs, logo items); Formalities Shop (tuxedo rentals, special occasion gifts); Dreams Studio (fka Studio Photo Gallery & Shop)
• The Cove (teens-only) and Club O2 (children-only) are exclusive club lounges with video games, movies, karaoke, and themed parties.
• Circle C (kids-only lounge) provides complimentary activities like video games, parties, movies, competitions, etc.
• Camp Ocean (fka Camp Carnival) is an aft located kids' complex with complimentary kids and supervised activities.
• Spa Carnival complex (with Steam Rooms, Saunas, Whirlpool, 10 Treatment Rooms, The Lock Beauty Salon and Fitness Center)
• Serenity (adult-only relaxation area with Whirlpool, Pool, Bar and sunbathing area with lounges)
• Aqua Park (with 72-ft Twister Waterslide, kids pool play area)
• Volleyball-Basketball Court; 9-hole Mini-Golf Course; Jogging Track, Shuffleboard

During the drydock refurbishment in 2023 (May) were added Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge, Carnival Adventures Shop, and Dreams Studio (selling photography-related services and equipment, also used for photo sessions) while the wellness complex (Cloud 9 Spa & Fitness Center) received new equipment. During the drydocking was also added CCL's signature aqua park Carnival Waterworks (deck 11).

Carnival WaterWorks is open between 10 am - 5 pm, and consist of Splash Zone (fountains, water spray cannons, jets, splash pools), a kids pool, two mini racing slides for kids, Power Drencher (150-gallon / 570 liters tipping bucket that reverses poles to dump its huge amount of water at regular intervals), Green Thunder (187 ft / 57 m long thrill slide, water speed 25 mph / 40 kph, with a 34 ft / 10 m long drop), Twister Waterslide (spiraling tube, 214 ft / 65 m long, entrance level /ends on deck 10). Deck 11 is the Twister Waterslide's entry floor.

Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge (deck 4/replacing the Skybox Sports Bar/fka Perfect Game) is the first-at-sea venue dedicated to active and retired US military personnel. The bar lounge features a distinctive decor with the logos of the USA's 5 armed forces (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard), military memorabilia throughout, walls lined with photos and messages themed "America’s Heroes", "Welcome Home" and "Thank You for Your Service". Specialty cocktails are served in custom-made pint glasses. A portion of each beverage sale benefits Operation Homefront (nonprofit organization). The special glasses can also be purchased as souvenirs.

Itineraries

Carnival Pride itinerary program is based on roundtrips from homeport Tampa (Florida USA), with 6-7-8-day Western Caribbean (including Panama Canal/Gatun Lake). Pride's Tampa homeporting started in January 2017.

In June 2022, the liner started an ex-UK program based on homeporting in Dover England and 9-day and 12-day itineraries visiting ports in the UK (Scotland, Wales, Ireland), Atlantic Europe (Spain, Portugal, France, Belgium, Netherlands), Baltic (Norwegian Fjords). CCL's previous homeporting in Dover was in 2013.

For summer 2023 season, the ship was scheduled for another deployment in Europe (British Isles, UK and Iceland, Norwegian Fjords) out of Dover.

Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade was done in 2013. Pride is of CCL-Carnival's Spirit-class liners, with sisterships Legend, Miracle, Spirit, also Costa Atlantica and Costa Mediterranea. The vessel was christened by godmother Tamara Jernigan (Tamara Elizabeth "Tammy" Jernigan) - US scientist, former NASA astronaut (with 5 "Space Shuttle" missions/spending total 1512 hours/63 days in space). The inaugural cruise (maiden voyage) started on January 12, 2002, and up until 2014, Pride's homeport was Baltimore MD.

The ship design theme is "Icons of Beauty" (done by Joe Farcus). The theme is based on beauty in art, beauty in the human body, beauty in the world's architecture, and beauty in life as general. The ship has a multi-million dollar artwork collection with numerous pieces on display in public areas. The artworks include Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, Da Vinci, also details of the architecture in Byzantine Empire, Victorian England, Ancient Greece, Italian Renaissance.

On February 5, 2017, the liner was chartered by "Bare Necessities Tour and Travel" for the agency's "Big Nude Boat Cruise". The themed cruise experience was offered on a 9-day roundtrip itinerary from homeport Tampa FL (Feb 5-14) with call ports Key West, Half Moon Cay Island, Grand Turk Island, and Amber Cove (Dominicana). Passengers attended several pre-scheduled onboard special events, including the "For the Love of Nudism Film Festival". However, clothing was required when the liner entered a seaport and also during meals.

Fun fact is that this Carnival ship has a namesake - the 2014-launched "HYUNDAI Pride". The vessel is among the world's largest container ships (capacity 13,100 TEU-containers) and operated by Hyundai Merchant Marine.

Carnival Pride refurbishments review

In 2023 (April 28 thru May 27) Carnival Pride entered drydock for a major refit and refurbishment at Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz Spain.

During drydocking 2023, the ship received three new venues (Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge, Carnival Adventures Shop, Dreams Photo Studio) and the wellness complex (Cloud 9 Spa & Fitness Center) was fully renovated and received new equipment. The hull was cleaned/repainted and CCL's new livery (red-white-blue) was added. The ship also received various machinery and equipment overhauls and upgrades.

• Beauties Dance Club's lower level (aft-portside on Deck 1) was replaced with passenger cabins and the Chef's Table (VIP Dining Room).
• On Deck 2, the Skybox Sports Bar was replaced with the Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge and the Crystal Card Room was replaced with Carnival Adventures Store. The Casino was redesigned and expanded. Shore Excursions Desk was renamed Carnival Adventures. In the Lobby was added the Dreams Studio (photo sessions studio).
• On Deck 3, Nobel Library/Internet Cafe and the adjacent The Chappel were replaced with The Warehouse Arcade (arcade video games).
• On Deck 4 (forward-portside), the Real Virtuality Video Arcade was replaced with The Cove (teens lounge).
• On Deck 5, Camp Carnival was renamed Camp Ocean.
• On Deck 10 (aft), the David's Steakhouse was replaced with Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse (on 2 levels).
• On Deck 11 (aft) was added the aqua park Carnival Waterworks.

Drydock 2023 also included the renovation of 450 cabin balconies.

Carnival Pride's previous major drydock refurb projects were conducted in 2019 (Feb 3-16/Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade) and 2014 (Oct 19 - Nov 9).