Interview with Alicia Steuart of Carnival Cruise Line

We recently talked to Alicia Steuart about the latest developments with Carnival Cruise Line:

Family Travel Gurus: The Carnival Breeze just came out this summer and the Carnival Sunshine has its inaugural cruise in April 2013.  What are some of the new features of these new ships and what itineraries will they be sailing?

We are so exciting about our new ships.  Both the Carnival Breeze and the Carnival Sunshine will have all of our most popular attractions like movies under the stars, beautiful spas and Serenity decks (adult’s only area), sport’s decks, Carnival Waterworks, Camp Carnival as well as large casinos; however, they will also have all of the new Fun Ship 2.0 enhancements (described below)!  Guests will find so many wonderful dining and entertainment venues to choose from including the Red Frog Pub, Cucina del Capitano, our family style Italian restaurant, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, and special themed bars.  Along with that, The Carnival Breeze will also have a ropes course and the first ever 5D movie theater at sea.

The Carnival Breeze and Sunshine will begin their sailings in the Mediterranean primarily sailing from Barcelona.  The Breeze offers 12-day Grand Mediterranean sailings from now through October 2012 and the Sunshine from April to October 2013.  Once the Carnival Breeze departs Barcelona in October, she will offer a transatlantic sailing from Barcelona to her new homeport of Miami where she will begin offering 3 unique 6-8 day Caribbean itineraries year round.  Once the Carnival Sunshine ends her season in the Mediterranean, she will depart October 2013 on a transatlantic sailing from Barcelona to her new homeport of New Orleans providing 3 unique 7 day Caribbean itineraries year-round.

Family Travel Gurus:  Our clients seem to like sailing out of Port Canaveral, Florida more than any other port.  Tell us about your cruises out of Port Canaveral and how they are a good choice for families.

We are the perfect fit for your clients as we are a family product offering more choices than any cruise line from their favorite home port!  We have 3 ships sailing from Port Canaveral, or as we like to call it “Port Carnival,” year-round giving guests a choice of 3 and 4 day Bahamas cruises or 5 and 7 day Caribbean cruises.   These options are ideal for families whether they wish to do a shorter cruise and combine a land stay at one of the many attractions in the area or elect to sail on one of our 7 day Caribbean cruises on the Carnival Dream with all of the new and exciting features she has to offer.  Not only will families have the FUN Carnival is known to deliver, but they will also get a memorable vacation at the best value in the industry!

Family Travel Gurus: Other cruise lines seem to have abandoned the Mexican Riviera market – does Carnival still have a ship that sails that itinerary?  What are the highlights of a Mexican Riviera cruise?  Have you added back short 3 and 4 night Baja Mexico cruises from Los Angeles?

Yes, we have great options on the West Coast.  Last fall we moved the newly renovated Carnival Inspiration to Long Beach to continue offering 3 and 4 day Baja Mexico cruises.  In addition, the Carnival Splendor offers 7 day Mexican Riviera cruises from Long Bach as well including 2 days in Cabo San Lucas and an extended stay in Puerto Vallarta.  In the spring of 2013 the Carnival Miracle will replace the Splendor continuing her Mexican Riviera itineraries along with seasonal offerings to Alaska and Hawaii.

Family Travel Gurus: We have a number of clients living in the Northeast.  What are the benefits from taking a Carnival Cruise out of Baltimore or Boston?

Well obviously the ease, convenience as well as the cost of transportation getting to the ship makes it very attractive.  We find our guests really enjoy the fact that they can get to the ship easily whether by car, train or a short flight.  Further, when inclement weather hits the Northeast, especially in the winter months, it is so nice for them to sail away to the Caribbean and leave their coats at home!

Family Travel Gurus: We understand you will soon have a ship based in Australia full time.  Tell us some about those itineraries – will this be a great way to sample the Pacific Islands?

The Carnival Spirit will be transitioning to Australia this fall and Sydney will become her new homeport.  She will offer a variety of 8-14 day cruises from Australia year-round hitting the Pacific Islands and New Zealand.  This is our first ever endeavor into this market and it opens up new exotic destinations for our guests to experience.  Further, the Carnival Spirit is the perfect ship for this destination as the majority of the staterooms include a balcony, which means tremendous views at a great value to our guests!

Family Travel Gurus: What does Carnival do to keep its older ships in top shape?

We spend a great deal and time and money refurbishing our ships to keep them fresh as well as adding new venues for entertainment and dining. For example, we are in the process of our most extensive project yet, called Fun Ship 2.0, a $500 million enhancement initiative that will dramatically transform the Carnival vacation experience! We have focused extensively on gathering guest feedback and it has served as the driving force behind recent product innovations and builds on those successes to provide our valued guests with delicious new dining choices, unique bar and lounge concepts, and captivating entertainment options through partnerships and fun branded spaces.  Here are some highlights…

• New partnership with popular comedian George Lopez who has been named our “creative director for comedy” for our fleet wide comedy venues, which will now be called The Punchliner Comedy Clubs Presented by George Lopez. George will play an active role in talent selection to enhance the overall comedy club experience.

• Teaming up with Food Network personality and restaurateur Guy Fieri on a free new burger venue called Guy’s Burger Joint, which will be located poolside on Lido Deck and offers hand-crafted burgers and fresh-cut fries in a fun atmosphere that celebrates his California roots and love of car culture.

• New food and beverage concepts such as the RedFrog Rum Bar, which will offer the quintessential Caribbean vacation vibe as a poolside version of our popular RedFrog Pub; BlueIguana Tequila Bar, offering a laid-back Mexican-themed atmosphere and tequila-based frozen drinks and beers; BlueIguana Cantina, a casual eatery that evokes the feel of a fun, relaxed Mexican beachside dining spot serving authentic tacos and burritos; EA SPORTS Bar, where guests can catch the latest action and play popular EA SPORTS video games on a 16-screen video wall; Alchemy Bar, a vintage-themed cocktail “pharmacy” with imaginative cocktails and a wide array of ingredients; and The Library Bar, an intimate cocktail lounge featuring bar service and automatic wine dispensers for those seeking a more relaxed venue.

• Enhanced entertainment options such as Playlist Productions, which combines electrifying live performances with high-tech LED special effects to set a new standard in seagoing productions; Hasbro, the Game Show, with larger-than-life stage adaptations of popular and iconic board games that’s sure to be a hit with guests of all ages; and a partnership with celebrity song master DJ IRIE who will become our official DJ and create DJ IRIE’s Spin’iversity, a shipboard academy for our DJs.

Family Travel Gurus: Anything else new with Carnival?
We have always been known as the leader in the Caribbean.  However, in 2013, we are going to make a big “Fun Ship” splash with new destinations for your clients to choose from.  In addition to our very popular Grand Mediterranean sailings on the Carnival Sunshine, we will be adding new European itineraries from April through October on the Carnival Legend.  She will venture into the Baltic’s, Western Europe as well as Greece and Turkey… so many fabulous places to see!  We will also be offering 3 unique South American cruises from February to April 2013 on the Carnival Splendor as well as an extensive 16 -day Panama Canal cruise on the Carnival Miracle in March 2013.  NOW is the time to start planning a grand adventure on a Carnival Fun Ship…we hope to welcome your clients soon!

Family Travel Gurus: Thank you Alicia for this informative update!  We have booked more Carnival cruises this month than any other line and we continue to recommend Carnival to our guests as an affordable cruise option.  Readers may contact us for a no obligation price quote today!