Alicia Steuart from Carnival Cruise Line (2010)

Since we last interviewed Alicia Steuart from Carnival Cruise Line there has been lots of changes – a new ship, a return to Europe, and more! We recently talked to Alicia to get up to date on the latest offerings from Carnival.

Renovated Pool Area on the Carnival Sensation

FamilyTravelGurus: We are excited to read about the new Carnival Magic and Carnival’s return to Europe in 2011!  We had a wonderful Mediterranean cruise with Carnival back in 2006 – tell us about the Carnival Magic and why Carnival is a good choice for someone considering a European cruise in 2011.

Yes, we are so excited to be back in Europe next year and the Carnival Magic is going to be such a great option for your customers!  First of all, we will be sailing round-trip out of Barcelona, Spain, which gives wonderful pre and post opportunities in that spectacular city while also making the transfer time much shorter from the airport to the ship…approximately 30 minutes VS 90 minutes when sailing from the outskirts of Rome.  We have air available now for those who choose our air/sea program.  We will be offering a variety of itineraries ranging from 7-12 day Mediterranean cruises visiting up to 5 different countries, the best of the Med. Further, they will get to sail on one of the newest ships in the world with so many NEW and popular features like…Red Frog Pub including in indoor/outdoor Caribbean dining, Cucina del Capitano offering an upscale dining experience with Italian fare, the Prime Steakhouse along with all of the other award winning dining options available on Carnival.

The Carnival Magic will also have our first Sport’s Square complex surrounded by an eighth-mile jogging track, including the first outdoor weightlifting area on a cruise ship, Carnival’s first two-level miniature golf course, a Vita exercise rope’s course, a lighted multi-purpose court for basketball, volleyball and soccer, along with ping pong and foosball tables with an outdoor gym and sport’s bar.

She will also have our beautiful Cloud 9 Spa, a 27,000 square foot facility with a soothing thalassotherapy pool, steam rooms, saunas, special treatment & relaxation rooms as well as a full gym, beauty salon and specialty classes like yoga, pilates, spinning & more!  Then of course, for the ultimate in relaxation in the sun will be our complimentary Serenity area on deck for adults only.

And of course we will continue to shine for families with expansive family-friendly space offering more than 19,000 square feet of space catering to kids and families, including Camp Carnival, Circle “C” for tweens and for the teens Club O2, all with dedicated activities, game rooms, computer rooms and more!  Further, the WaterWorks Aqua Park on the Magic will offer even more thrills with an exhilarating “Twister” spiral water slide, as well as the new Aqua Play splash park designed for youngsters and their families, featuring a gigantic, 500-gallon “dump bucket” and a host of other wet ‘n wild features. Plus the resort-style pool area with live music, activities, and our very popular seaside theater.

FamilyTravelGurus: Where will the Magic sail from when she returns from Europe?

After her European season, she will offer a transatlantic cruise from Barcelona to Galveston, TX, which will become her new home port.  From Galveston, the Carnival Magic will offer a variety of 6-8 day Caribbean cruises in the fall and winter of 2011 before she begins her regular 7 day Western and Bahamas itineraries departing every Sunday from the historic port city of Galveston, TX.  Reservations are open right now through April 2012.

FamilyTravelGurus: Many of our clients and readers have sailed with Disney out of Port Canaveral.  What does Carnival offer out of Port Canaveral?

Carnival offers 2 ships with 4 itineraries out of Port Canaveral.  We have the Carnival Sensation which offers 3 & 4 day cruises to the Bahamas as well as the new Carnival Dream sailing every Saturday offering alternating 7 day Eastern itineraries to Nassau, St.Thomas/St.John, St.Maarten and 7 day Exotic Western itineraries to Cozumel, Roatan, Belize and Costa Maya.  These ships offer tremendous value and fun for everyone in the family.  Carnival is known for specializing in multigenerational travel by providing a wide variety of entertainment, activities and dining to make every age happy! We provide an environment that allows families to enjoy their time together whether taking in a family movie on deck, watching a production show, dancing, playing bingo, splashing at the water park, playing miniature golf, going to a family comedy show or simply having a great meal.  Then we also provide an opportunity for adults to have a little “adult time” at the Cloud 9 Spa, Serenity Deck, adult comedy show, a bit of gambling in the casino, enjoying an adult’s only comedy show or having a 5 star meal at the Carnival Steakhouse while knowing their children are having the time of their lives participating in Camp Carnival, Circle C or Club 02 wih our experienced youth counselors.  It truly is what we promise, “Fun for All.”

FamilyTravelGurus: We toured the Carnival Sensation and Dream earlier this year and we were impressed! Those two ships often price less than what Disney and other cruise lines offer out of Port Canaveral, too.

Carnival is also known for sailing out of many U.S. ports that people can drive to.  We were impressed with the Carnival Pride when we saw her in a ship inspection in Baltimore earlier this year.  What other home ports does Carnival have in the U.S.?  Which of these have proven to be popular?

Carnival offers 19 home ports in all providing easy travel to get to our ships all across the country…we call it our “home port strategy”!  We have multiple home ports on the West coast, Gulf coast as well as 8 up and down the East coast from New York to Miami with our latest in Charleston, South Carolina opening up lots of new cruise opportunities.  Galveston has been one of our most popular home ports.  The growth in Galveston has come from cruisers residing in states within driving distance, but also from the mid-west and West coast where guests can take a relatively short and inexpensive flight to enjoy more itinerary options without having to travel to Florida.

FamilyTravelGurus: We have had our Carnival clients come back with rave reviews of some non-traditional ports you visit in the Caribbean.  Tell us about some ports you visit in the Caribbean that are unique and exciting.

One of the exciting things we are doing at Carnival is investing in the ports we call on to make unique and exciting experiences.  For example, I recently got to sail on the Carnival Liberty and experience the beautiful ports of Half Moon Cay and Grand Turk, some of our most popular stops.

At our private island of Half Moon Cay there was terrific snorkeling, great kid-friendly beach areas with a play area, waterslide and so many activities to choose from like massages on the beach, horseback riding, water sports and beach ball just to name a few.  Further, they has a wonderful complimentary barbeque that was provided for all of the guests.

In Grand Turk, we had a fabulous time!  The ship literally pulls right up to one of the prettiest beaches you have ever seen with complete facilities and plenty  of beach chairs for all.  Once again, there is great snorkeling (my husband’s favorite) and the new flowrider attraction that allows you to surf and boogie board with experienced trainers.  Both my husband and my 8 year old son did it and had the time of their lives!  There is also a Margaritaville there with an endless pool and activities galore!  We had an excellent meal, participated in a dance contest and got to do some fabulous shopping before we had to leave.  It is truly a wonderful experience!

We have also created one of the coolest experiences yet in Roatan called the “Magic chair lift.”  For only $5 guests can walk off the ship and hop on the chair lift (similar to a chair lift at a ski resort), which takes you up for a scenic view of the island and drops you right at Mahogany Bay for a spectacular beach day where you can also participate in world-class snorkeling or scuba diving if you desire.

You will find that we are constantly working on new port development to enhance the experience for our guests in all of the ports we call on…more fun to come!

FamilyTravelGurus: Do you have any plans for Alaska in 2011?

We do very well in Alaska and I think we have the best product for families hands down.  The Carnival Spirit will be in Alaska in 2011 and we are open for business…book early to get the best rates as space moves fast!  This ship offers 80% ocean view cabins with 80% balconies, so definitely the right ship in Alaska.  Further, we offer 7 day Alaska cruises round-trip from Seattle making airlift more reasonable for our guests, your customers.  We also make a point in being in port with very few ships so our guests can take advantage of experiencing these intimate towns without thousands of other cruisers…it makes a big difference!

FamilyTravelGurus: Anything else new with Carnival that you would like to tell our readers about?

We always have new experiences for our guests.  For example, just within the past year we have added new entertainment options like laser tag, Behind the Scenes tours, Super Karaoke where our guests get to sing with the band and back-up singers and Punchliner Comedy Clubs where we offer up to 6 comedy acts nightly.  We have also created new dining option called Chef’s Table whereby 12-16 guests can join our Executive Chef for a private galley tour during dinner service where they will be given delicious hors’ de oerves and champagne then shown how we make our addictive Warm Melting Chocolate Cake.  They are then escorted to a private dining area where they are served a 7 course meal with free flowing wine and then given a complimentary cookbook and mementos to remember the experience.  It is truly a meal of a lifetime and the cost is only $75.  It is a don’t miss for you “foodies” out there!

What you will find on Carnival is great fun, great value and memorable experiences for you and your family that will last a lifetime!  We hope to welcome each and every one of you on a FunShip cruise in the near future!

FamilyTravelGurus: Thanks Alicia. We are excited about all the new Carnival offerings!

 

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