| Carnival Cruise Lines' Carnival
Pride Celebrating Beauty Previous Page By Ilene Grifen
The central idea for the design of the ship was "Icons of
Beauty," which was inspired by everything from classic architecture
and artistic masterpieces to athletic achievement and the human body.
Throughout the ship, the focus is on the Italian Renaissance period of
the 15th- and 16th-centuries, celebrating the beauty of life. Joe Farcus,
Carnival's interior architect, created an environment on the Carnival
Pride that provides its guests with representations of beauty in
all manifestations. As part of the Renaissance style, ornate details are
found throughout the public rooms. There are bronze statues of Roman and
Greek gods, as well as whimsical mermaids.
Special Features Boasting the same revolutionary design of her sister ship, Carnival
Spirit, the ship combines the best features of Carnival's Destiny-
and Fantasy-class ships. Eighty percent of her staterooms have ocean
views and sitting areas, and of those, 80 percent feature two sizes of
private balconies. The ship offers an open and airy feeling, affording
guests a greater sense of the land, the sky and the sea.
She features a variety of "resort-style" amenities,
including a 13,700-square-foot spa, a 2,400-square-foot children's
playing area, plus indoor and outdoor promenades. Additionally, she
boasts 16 bars and lounges, an Internet café, conference center, four
swimming pools and a cascading water slide.
Renaissance Atrium The balustrade was created from classical sculpted bronze pillars
with wave-cut glass panels, while the walls are adorned with
reproductions of murals by Italian Renaissance artists, Botticelli,
Raphael and others from the same time period.
There is also a mini, two-deck atrium in the aft section. One of the
most beautiful areas on the ship, its focal point is a grand waterfall
and staircase. Located on the Promenade Deck, it leads into the show
room and also to the Perfect Game sports bar.
Dining The 1,250-seat Normandie Restaurant is the formal dining room named
after the classic ocean liner. The two-level room has a décor of dark
wood and art deco influences, reminiscent of its namesake, with large
circular windows offering expansive views. The elegant ambiance is
enhanced by sparkling crystal chandeliers, as well a grand circular
stairway, with a sculpture of a regal empress. Its huge circular windows
are cast-framed. Guests will find menus with extensive options,
including a choice of four or five main courses, as well as low-calorie
choices. Vegetarian dishes are also featured. An annex to the Normandie
Restaurant, is the 86-seat Captain's club. It is available for a more
private dining venue for groups and special events.
David's Supper Club, seating 156, is reservations-only. It is located
at the top of the Atrium and is housed under the red-tinted glass dome
that forms the forward portion of the ship's winged funnel. The second
level of the room boasts a full-size replica of Michelangelo's famous
sculpture, "David," continuing the Italian Renaissance theme.
There is a $25 surcharge per person to dine in this elegant and intimate
restaurant, which is beneath the skylight of the 11-story atrium. Guests
dine on Versace china, while being served by tuxedo-clad waiters.
Another choice for dinner is the renowned Joe's Stone Crab
Restaurant. While the menu features an extensive list, it is the stone
crabs that this famous Miami restaurant is known for, along with Joe's
signature mustard sauce and drawn butter.
The Lido-area poolside eatery, the 458-seat Mermaid's Grille, is a
casual alternative for breakfast and lunch. It boasts a grand mural of
Botticelli's "Birth of Venus," and is for full breakfast and
lunch buffets. The Seaview Bistro is set up inside the Mermaid's Grille
nightly as a casual dinner alternative.
Guests have a choice of four service lines and several stations with
specialized food, as well as pasta and carving stations and an extensive
salad bar. Additionally, it features a 24-hour pizzeria and a New
York-style deli and Asian cuisine.
Additionally, there is 24-hour complimentary room service as well as
24-hour free frozen yogurt and ice cream service. Nightly midnight
buffets, including a grand gala buffet, are also featured.
Bars, Lounges & Entertainment The beauty of ideas and intellectual achievement is enshrined in the
Nobel Library, with a Swedish design. It also houses the Internet Café,
with 12 stations. The cost is $19 for one week unlimited use or 75 cents
per minute.
The sports bar is called The Perfect Game and features TVs that show
the latest sports events, plus great moments from games past. Beautiful
art is celebrated in the Starry Night jazz club and the Ivory Bar, the
ship's piano bar, is a popular after-dinner-sing-a-long venue. It
features resin-cast reproductions of ivory carvings interspersed with
cast bonsai trees and pagoda-like lanterns.
Natural beauty is celebrated in both the Sunset Garden and
Butterflies Lounge. Located at the forward end of the Atlantic deck and
forming the enclosed portion of the ship's exterior promenade, Sunset
Garden provides a relaxing spot. It is decorated in the colors of sunset
-- gold, amber and burnt red -- and boasts murals of Old Sol painted on
the interior walls. Butterflies Lounge, for adults only entertainment,
has faux windows that are decorated with colorful transparent fabrics
that resemble butterfly wings. The Sport of Kings is the motif of the
ocean-view Winner's Club Casino. It was designed to celebrate
horseracing.
Cabins All have twin beds that convert to queen size. They boast large
closets, a refrigerator, hair dryer, vanity safe and sofa, as well as a
color TV with three movies per day.
Deluxe ocean-view cabins with a balcony measure 230-square-feet and
suites with wrap-around balconies are 300-square-feet. As part of
"Today's Carnival," there are also in-cabin amenities baskets.
They are filled with a wide variety of brand-name products for men and
women. Additionally, plush terrycloth bathrobes are available for guest
use in all outside cabins and suites. Several cabins can accommodate up
to four guests. There are also 52 interconnecting staterooms, perfect
for large families or family gatherings.
The ship has 16 wheelchair accessible cabins, with wider doorways and
furnishings, such as hand bars inside the shower.
For Children An outdoor play area featuring mini-basketball hoops and other
playground equipment is also available on Sports Deck 11. Located on
Main Deck 4 is a high-tech game room, "Real Virtuality," with
the latest video and arcade games.
Carnival Pride also features four swimming pools, including
a children's wading pool on Sports Deck 11 and three pools on Lido Deck
9. A two-deck-high cascading water slide with lots of twists and turns,
is also on Sports Deck 11.
Other Amenities The two-level 13,700-square-foot "Carnival Spa" has
floor-to-ceiling windows with panoramic views. Several top-rate spa
treatments are offered here, including European-style therapies. The
fitness center is fully equipped with elliptical walkers, treadmills,
Stairmasters, rowing machines, stationary bikes, free weights and
hydraulic weight machines in a multi-level theater setting. The Beauty
Salon Classique is operated by the renowned Steiner's of London.
There are also four pools, one of which is covered by a retractable
dome, and a jogging track. Additionally, an Internet café is located in
the Nobel Library.
For shopping or browsing, there is the Via Veneto, a quaint shopping
street on Atlantic Deck. It features a series of storefronts housing
exclusive shops, boutiques and Carnival logo products.
Destinations In July and August, she will sail roundtrip from New York to Bermuda
on a series of seven-night cruises. After a 14-night Panama Canal
crossing on September 7, 2003, Carnival Pride will begin a
series of seven-night Mexican Riviera cruises roundtrip from Los
Angeles.
Carnival Pride's
New and Expanded By Ilene Grifen (June 2002)
To make the cruising experience more enjoyable for all, children and
families are offered everything from geography classes and candy-making
machines, to special family activities on a private island, teens-only
shore excursions and fun port lectures that are
"just-for-kids." Parents now also have the added convenience
of stroller rentals, for use both aboard ship and during port calls.
These new features, part of the line's fleetwide complimentary
"Camp Carnival" program, are expected to further bolster the
line's position as the family cruise leader. This year alone, more than
350,000 children are expected to cruise on a Carnival "Fun
Ship."
"Family - Friendly" Amenities The ship's bimonthly visits to Half Moon Cay or Salt Cay, (private
Bahamian out-islands on the Carnival Pride's eastern Caribbean
cruises), provide the line a unique opportunity to create special
family-oriented activities, such as sand-castle building, water games
and other beachside activities. In addition to enjoying beautiful
white-sand beaches and modern facilities found here, families can
partake in a variety of watersports, including snorkeling, kayaking and
"aqua-cycling."
Carnival also now offers shore excursions that are for
"teens-only," where they can get together and select a
favorite shore tour and then visit the destination accompanied by a
member of the youth staff.
The "Fun Club" An outdoor play area featuring mini-basketball hoops and other
playground equipment is also available on Sports Deck 11. Located on
Main Deck 4 is a high-tech game room, "Real Virtuality," with
the latest video and arcade games.
Carnival Pride also features four swimming pools, including
a children's wading pool on Sports Deck 11 and three pools on Lido Deck
9. A two-deck-high cascading water slide with lots of twists and turns,
is also on Sports Deck 11.
Spacious Accommodations "Kid - Friendly" Dining Options Other "kid-friendly" dining amenities include a turn-down
service offering freshly baked chocolate chip cookies on the first and
last night of their voyage, as well as the "Fountain Fun
Card," a fleetwide soft drink program good for unlimited sodas
throughout the duration of the cruise. The cards, which are purchased
once on board, range in price from $9 for three-day voyages, to $23 for
seven-day sailings.
Babysitting Eastern and Western Caribbean |
Carnival Pride
Pride Atrium
Sunset Garden
The Pool
As
more people are selecting an all-inclusive cruise for their family
vacation, Carnival Cruise Lines has incorporated a variety of new and
expanded "family-friendly" amenities on its new 88,500-ton,
2,124-passenger, Carnival Pride, which made her debut in
January 2002.
the
second houses a computer lab with educational and video game software.
The third section, a playroom for all ages, is stocked with a variety of
toys and games, a "video wall" displaying movies and cartoons
and kid-sized tables and chairs. New to this area, are multi-lingual,
touch-screen computer games, which are also featured on Carnival's
100,000-plus-ton "Destiny-class" vessels.
