Carnival Spirit

The 2001-built Carnival Spirit cruise ship is the first of four Spirit-class CCL liners, with sisterships the fleetmates Miracle, Pride, and Legend, as well as Costa's liners Atlantica and Mediterranea.

The vessel (IMO number 9188647) is currently Bahamas-flagged (MMSI 311001095) and registered in Nassau. Previously, the vessel was Malta-flagged (MMSI 229136000) and registered in Valletta.

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 Spirit 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. The cruise vessel, that introduced a whole new class for Carnival, shares its basic design with Costa Atlantica and offers all the best of earlier Carnival ships - a waterslide, lots of bars and extensive kids' facilities.

In early 2012, Carnival Spirit underwent a US$7 million refurb to make her ready for a new home in Australia. Carnival added a new aqua park and waterslide, Green Thunder; a 180-foot-long twister that starts with a near-vertical drop; the Serenity deck space, Carnival's signature adults-only retreat; and a new top-deck barbecue place. Following the last refit in 2015, Aussies also benefit from enhanced coffee, more draught beers and more cabins with interconnecting doors.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Spirit staterooms (1062 total, in 28 categories) include 50 Suites, 634 Balconies, 171 Oceanviews, 214 Inside cabins. The ship has 17 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, with terrace sized 115 ft2 / 11 m2).

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

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

The 1,300-seat, 2-deck Empire Restaurant features Napoleonic splendor, with ceiling domes decorated with murals and crystal chandeliers. Even the portholes are trimmed in gold. The grand circular staircase boasts a sculpture of Napoleon at his coronation. Open seating breakfast is served between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. only on Deck 2 and a Sea Day Brunch is introduced for days at sea between 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to replace breakfast and lunch in the main dining room. La Playa Grill Lido Restaurant situated on Deck 9 is a buffet eatery referred to by both names - Lido and La Playa Grill. It occupies a large area on Lido deck between the adults-only Serenity Retreat and the main Dome pool.

There are ten food stations serving various food for lunch and dinner, such as Asian, deli sandwiches and wraps, carvery meats, salads, and desserts. The ice-cream and pizza bars, found in the eatery, are open 24 hours.

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

• Empire 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 Napoleon Room restaurant annex).
• Nouveau Steakhouse (156-seat, reservation-only restaurant, serving seafood and prime beef steaks; with dance floor and stage for live performances)
• La Playa Grille Lido Buffet Restaurant (1458-seat self-service restaurant with complimentary food stations; operates as dinner bistro in the evenings)
• Sushi Bar (complimentary).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Carnival Spirit provides cruise experience like taking a journey all over the world. Legendary designer Joe Farcus got inspired to memorialize the "creative spirit" on the liner. The showroom is figured with Egyptian hieroglyphics and murals, the piano bar is a homage to Shanghai and "Chinoise" style, the Artist's Lobby accents famed European artists, the Library of Chippendale is accurate of an English country manor.

Carnival Spirit has much day-time fun with a big emphasis on trivia - there will be 3 to 4 games with different themes on any given day. There are also staff-led activities, such as golf chipping competitions, table tennis competitions, family scavenger hunts, along with towel-folding lessons and dance classes. A couple of lectures take place each day, given by the cruise director or by a visiting expert. Sushi-making demonstrations take place in the Bonsai Sushi and ticketed wine-and-cheese tasting in adults-only Serenity (held at least once per cruise).

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

• Versailles Lounge (484-seat, hosts Punchliner Comedy Club/brunch)
• Dancin' Dance Club Disco and Nightclub (118-seat, 2-level Dance Club)
• Pharaoh's Palace Theatre (1167-seat, 3-level main show lounge, also used for movies, bingo games, game shows)
• Monarch's Card Room (20-seat)
• Fountain Cafe (112-seat specialty coffee bar and patisserie)
• The Champions Bar (67-seat sports bar); Artists' Lobby Lounge (85-seat wine bar); Shanghai Bar (106-seat piano bar); Snack Bar, Towel Bar; Deco Foyer Lounge and Bar (66-seat)
• Club Cool Jazz Club (135-seat jazz lounge)
• Louis XIV Casino (278-seat, served by Louis XIV Bar)
• Spirit Atrium Spirit Lobby (9-deck high midship open area with dance floor and stage, served by 147-seat Spirit Lobby Bar)
• The Jungle Interior Promenade (52-seat)
• Deco Walk Upper Promenade (52-seat)
• The Fun Shops (offers Bon Voyage items, duty-free liquor, jewelry, fashion boutiques, souvenirs, logo items); Formalities Shop (tuxedo rentals, special occasion gifts); Studio Photo Gallery and Shop
• The Cove (teen-only club lounge)
• Circle C (kids' lounge complimentary area with video games, parties, movies, planned activities)
• Camp Carnival (aft located kids' lounge area with complimentary kids programs and supervised activities)
• Spa Carnival complex (with Steam Rooms, Saunas, Whirlpool, 10 Treatment Rooms, Classique Beauty Salon and Fitness Center)
• SoulPlay (playroom)
• Serenity (adult-only relaxation area with Whirlpool, Pool, Bar and sunbathing area with lounges)
• Sun Pool (with 1 Whirlpool) and Dome Pool (main, with 1 Whirlpool; covered with sliding roof), both served by Canopy Bar)
• Club O2 (teens club lounge with video games, movies, karaoke, and themed parties)
• Carnival Waterworks Aqua Park (with Twister Waterslide, PowerDrencher, two mini racing slides, Green Thunder Waterslide, play areas with jets and fountains)
• Volleyball-Basketball Court; 9-hole Mini Golf Course; Jogging Track, Shuffleboard.

During drydock refit 2022, to the ship were made some changes (see details in the ship's Wiki section).

Itineraries

Carnival Spirit itinerary program (starting October 2023) is based on homeporting in Mobile Alabama (replacing Carnival Ecstasy). The 6-8-day roundtrips visit ports in Mexico, Belize, Jamaica, Bahamas (Half Moon Cay, North Bimini). The Caribbean deployment is seasonal (5-6-8-day itineraries), alternating with Alaska (during summer) from Seattle.

Previously, Spirit was deployed in Australia (homeported in Sydney NSW in the period 2012-2020), visiting the South Pacific Islands and also operated voyages to Tasmania and cruises to nowhere.

For winter 2017-2018, Spirit was repositioned to Asia and homeported in China following the drydock refurbishment in Singapore. Spirit (the first Fun Ship with roundtrips from China) returned to Australia in spring 2018, and in 2019, to Asia/China was deployed Carnival Splendor.

In 2021, Carnival Spirit became CCL's first liner homeported in Brisbane (Queensland Australia). The announcement was made in June 2018 (the maiden season was planned for 2022) and followed the approval for building a new terminal in Brisbane QLD. For summer 2020 (April through September ), the ship had to be deployed in Alaska (replacing Carnival Legend) with homeporting in Seattle WA.

However, due to the Coronavirus crisis, the CCL Spirit ship was paused for 2+ years (March 2020 thru May 2022), with a planned restart from Brisbane QLD on May 29th. In February 2022, the Australian deployment was replaced with the Caribbean (homeporting in Jacksonville Florida, starting on March 7th) replacing Carnival Sensation.

Carnival Spirit's Australia 2022 program was based on the following itineraries:

• 3-day Getaways (themed cruises to nowhere)
• 4-day short breaks to Airlie Beach
• 7-day "Great Barrier Reef" (Airlie Beach, Cairns, Port Douglas, Willis Island)
• 7-day "South Pacific Islands" (New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji/including Dravuni Island)
• 10-11-days "Papua New Guinea" (Alotau, Kitava Island-Trobriand, Rabaul, Kiriwina Island-Trobriand, Conflict Islands)

In early-February 2022, the Australian schedules of Carnival Spirit (June 5, 2022, thru October 5, 2023) and Carnival Splendor (June 10 thru Sept 26, 2022) were both canceled. Carnival Spirit was redeployed to the Caribbean and homeported in Jacksonville FL (March 7th thru April 9th), then to Alaska from Seattle (May 3-Sept 13), then in PortMiami (Oct 6, 2022, thru April 16, 2023). Carnival Splendor was redeployed to Alaska (May 2 thru August 30).

In May 2023, CCL scheduled its first-ever voyage from Seattle to Hawaii - Carnival Spirit's 15-day "Carnival Journeys Hawaii Cruise from Seattle" (departure Sept 24, 2024) visiting Honolulu, Kauai/Nawiliwili, Maui/Kahului, Hilo, and Victoria (BC Canada).

Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade was done in 2015. Spirit is Carnival's first Spirit-class liner, with sisterships Legend, Miracle, Pride, and the Costa Cruises ships Atlantica and Mediterranea. The vessel was christened by godmother Elizabeth Dole - North Carolina's senator (state's first female senator, mandate 2003-2009).

Spirit was also the first Fun Ship cruising to Alaska and Hawaii. It features world's steepest waterslide at sea ("Green Thunder"). Ship's drydock refurbishment in San Francisco (in 2012) cost USD 7 million. During the drydock were added "WaterWorks" (aquapark) and "Serenity" (adults-only resort deck).

During winter 2017-2018 season, Carnival Spirit was repositioned to China to offer Asian cruises roundtrip from homeport Shanghai. The seasonal redeployment was due to scheduled drydock in Singapore. Spirit was homeported in Sydney Australia since 2012, performing strongly on the local market. The decision made Spirit the first-ever Carnival ship departing from China. It returned to Australia in spring 2018 to continue the previous year-round itinerary program from Sydney NSW. The other Carnival Asia ship was Carnival Splendor (repositioned in spring 2018). Carnival Asia cruise shipping operations are via the partnership between Carnival Cruise Lines and Carnival Corporation's subsidiary Costa Asia.

Carnival Spirit refurbishment 2022 review

In February 2022, Carnival Spirit was drydocked in Dubai UAE, mainly for general maintenance works, as well as for changing the old livery with the fleet's new one (blue-red-white).

During drydock refit 2022, to the ship were made some venue changes.

(deck 2) The Taste Bar was replaced with the Art Gallery (moved from deck 3). The Shore Excursions desk was renamed Carnival Adventures.

(deck 3) The Chippendale Library & Internet Cafe (23-seat, 24-hour open) and the Wedding Chapel (30-seat venue) were replaced with a new video arcade The Warehouse. The Photo Gallery was renamed Pixels Gallery. The Conference Room (100 seats) was transformed into the SoulPlay Room (for playing cards, board games, puzzles, arts and crafts activities).

(deck 4) The Techno Video Arcade (forward-portside) was replaced with The Cove (children-only breakout room for arts and crafts).

(deck 9) Asian Corner (Mongolian Wok station for complimentary stir-fry, made-to-order food) was replaced with the Seafood Corner.

(deck 10) The Fat Jimmy's C-Side BBQ was removed.

Carnival Spirit refurbishment 2018 review

Drydock 2018 (May 23 - June 5) was in Singapore. The upgrades included new entertainment options at new clubs for youth activities - kids-only arts-crafts area ("SoulPlay") and teens-only area ("Warehouse Arcade").

Other changes included:

• redesigned retail area - new duty-free shopping brands - Clinique, Lacoste, Quay Australia, Seafolly, Swarovski, Swatch
• redesigned Photo Gallery - Pixels Digital Photo Gallery - upgraded kiosk allowing passengers to view then purchase photos through smartphones and iPads
• updated Fitness Centre (latest training equipment)

In 2017, on the Australia-based Carnival Spirit was introduced new kids programming, that includes new onboard activities, games, themed parties.

• On the ship were introduced an inflatable bocce court and giant-sized board games (Cranium, Trivial Pursuit, Guess Who).
• Another 2017 addition is the Cluedo (aka Clue) murder mystery game that is a group activity involving 2-6 players. At the beginning of each cruise, costumed characters present their alibis, and the players attempt to solve the crime mystery through clues given to them throughout the cruise.
• New themed entertainment events are the shows "80s Rock" (music-themed), "Glow Night" (fashion-themed) and "Lip Sync Battle" (a musical competition involving choreography, costumes, and stage sets).