Carnival Inspiration Cruise Ship: Review, Photos & Departure Ports on Cruise Critic

Table Of Content

• Carnival Inspiration: The Former Fantasy Class Cruise Ship
• Carnival Inspiration Overview
• Grand Suite Stateroom on the Carnival Inspiration
• Next Norwegian Ship Will Sail with New Restaurants
• Drinking age

However, with two exceptions, they're not giants by today's standards. She was the sixth of what would eventually become the eight-ship Fantasy-class. It was, and to this day remains, the largest class of ships ever created by Carnival. We rented a golf cart $90 for 2 hours and had the most wonderful time. Great views (lots of pictures of us with ship in the background. Several places to rent (all the same price) but reserve on line if you go when it's crowded. Whether or not you ever had the pleasure of sailing this classic ship, it’s easy to imagine the sense of wonder and awe guests felt upon entering the beautiful atrium.

Carnival Inspiration: The Former Fantasy Class Cruise Ship

If you're sure you know what sort of cabin you want, on which ship, on which itinerary — and about a dozen other things — you can head over to Carnival.com to book directly. During the evenings, there is an official dress code, but it's pretty laid-back. Most nights are designated "cruise casual," which means just that — khakis or jeans, polo shirts, sundresses, etc.

Carnival Inspiration Overview

After being christened by Mary A. Shula, wife of a prior Miami Dolphins coach, the ship set sail and traveled through the Caribbean and then to the West Coast, with initial sailings from Puerto Rico. The lesson here is that one should never take any ship for granted. For so many years, I was so used to watching her frequent departures from the decks of the Queen Mary. At the very top of the ship, Sun Deck had a jogging track and a glass-screened games deck that was later converted to the City Sports Park with putting greens. Outdoor teak-lined promenades (the Fantasy-class has abundant beautiful teak decks) led aft to the stern with its wading pool and, later, water slides.

Grand Suite Stateroom on the Carnival Inspiration

Inspiration's secondary venue for entertainment is the Candlelight Lounge, featuring karaoke, "R-rated" comedy shows and art auctions. At its entrance is Chopin, a combination sports and cigar bar with stogies for sale and a number of flat TV's. Since 2017, Carnival Cruise Line offers a new program allowing ship passengers to customize their steward service by choosing to have the cabin serviced in the morning, at night or both (twice a day). All guests can choose from a list of additional cabin amenities, among which are bathrobes, extra pillows, blankets, closet hangers.

Next Norwegian Ship Will Sail with New Restaurants

The new menu still has free of charge items – hot and cold sandwiches, salads, desserts, beverages, Continental Breakfast selections. At extra cost (ranging between USD 1,50 and 6) are items that include shrimp, also sushi, pizza, quesadillas, cheesesteaks, chicken wings/tenders, fries. Bar drinks orders through room service are at regular bar menu prices (no extra fee added). On Carnival Inspiration, smoking allowed areas (cigarettes /incl electronic cigarettes) are Rock And Roll Nightclub (disco /not allowed on the dance floor), Casino (designated areas), Casino Bar.

Cruise Ship Room Service

On July 23, Carnival Cruise Line confirmed the ship’s sale, along with that of her sister ship, Carnival Fantasy. CRUISEDECKPLANS.COMUse the input buttons above to go to the main page for a Cruise Ship or Cruise Line. Extras include shower-mounted shampoo and bath gel dispensers and an array of sample toiletries, as well as fluffy towels. Carnival Inspiration may have taken her final voyage, but she will definitely sail on forever in the memories of those who loved her. But it was quaint in its own way, filled with the laughter of families during the day and, often, after the sunset, couples enjoying a stroll, breathing deeply of the ocean air.

Staterooms

Carnival Inspiration did have balcony rooms, but unfortunately, only suites offered balconies. Carnival WaterWorks is a great addition to Inspiration's amenities. Every afternoon live musicians entertain the public at the main pool. This special adults-only area features 120 comfortable lounges and two whirlpools. The Fantasy class began with Carnival Fantasy, which entered service in 1990. As of April 7, 2024, only the Carnival Paradise and Carnival Elation remain in service.

Entertainment and activities

View Carnival's cruise ship staterooms, including suites, balconies, oceanviews and interior staterooms. Take advantage of Carnival's onboard activities, including WaterWorks water slides, pools, sports courts, ropes course, mini-golf, video arcade, sports bars, casino, duty-free shopping, bars and lounges, art gallery and more. The Carnival’s Sail & Sign card (cashless onboard credit account) doubles as stateroom key. The S&S credit program allows charges on purchases and tips/gratuities directly to a personal account throughout the Carnival cruise. The card has a designated owner and must be utilized for all money transactions on the ship as cash is accepted as a form of payment only at the casino. These cards are provided to all passengers (incl minors) immediately upon boarding the ship.

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There was also a specialty coffee bar, Cafe des Artistes, aboard the ship, and Cherry on Top, selling candies and similar sweets. If you managed to snag a cruise on Carnival Inspiration before it went the way of the scrapyard, then you likely noticed that the ship was not the same as it was when it was first launched in the 90s. Various technical enhancements were also implemented, including shoreside power capabilities.

The heart of the program, called Camp Ocean, brings free, supervised activities daily for children aged 2 to 11. The line splits children here into three age groups — Penguins (aged 2-5 years), Stingrays (aged 6-8 years) and Sharks (aged 9-11 years). On one of Carnival's newest ships, Carnival Panorama, there's no RedFrog Pub, but the Smokehouse Brewhouse has a stage that's home to live music nightly and some of the ship's karaoke sessions.

The quality of the food (and drink) on Carnival ships always surprises us, given the budget pricing of the brand. Despite being one of the industry's lowest-cost operators, Carnival manages to pull off one of the best steakhouses at sea in Fahrenheit 555, and even the no-extra-charge main restaurants get the basics right. Like other big-ship operators, Carnival packs a lot of dining options onto its vessels — some included in the price, some at an extra charge. Each of the vessels in Carnival's recent Vista Class series, for instance, offers fewer than 75 suites. Each of the line's earlier Conquest Class ships has around 50 suites.

Maybe you'll drink a little too much, eat a little too much, play a little too much — but in the end, you'll say it was your best trip ever. The overarching idea for Carnival's ship deployments is that a large percentage of the U.S. population can reach one of the line's ships by car, saving the cost of flights. Carnival ships are all about fun in a very laid-back, unpretentious, nothing-too-fancy sort of way. Since her inaugural voyage in 1996, Inspiration was a home away from home to anyone who had the pleasure of sailing on her. The first step will be the removal of all remaining valuables and salvageable interior fixtures. The team of workers will then begin removing all sinks, toilets, appliances, and anything else of value that can be sold or used in some fashion.

In 2024, the parent company (Carnival Corporation) had ~51% stake in the US$64+ billion industry. The Carnival cruise ship Inspiration has a total of 25 wheelchair-accessible cabins (for disabled passengers) and no Spa cabins (with exclusive access to Spa Carnival facilities). In addition, vessels offer extra-charge laundry and, on select ships, dry cleaning services.

Carnival Inspiration Ship Review

Table Of Content

• Carnival Inspiration's Promenade
• Carnival Inspiration - user reviews and comments
• Carnival Cruise Line ships will not return to service until March 2021
• Explore More Ships in this Line
• Card Issuer
• Dining

All this said, we recommend checking Carnival's website before sailing for the very latest on requirements. A few other forms of identification, such as a passport card, also are acceptable. Unlike some lines, Carnival has resisted the trend of big-ship operators carving out whole sections of deck-top areas for the exclusive use of passengers staying in suites or willing to pay hefty access fees.

Carnival Inspiration's Promenade

Another popular stop along Inspiration Boulevard was the Alchemy Bar. A new addition to the Carnival line-up offered the perfect place for an upscale cocktail. Truth be told, Inspiration’s Alchemy Bar lacked some of the charm found on other ships, feeling more like a theme set in an available space. But the drinks served were as creative as found elsewhere, and the mixologists were equally talented. If you listen closely, you can hear glasses clinking together as toasts are raised by long-ago passengers in the now-abandoned bars and laughter echoing across the deserted Lido deck.

Carnival Inspiration - user reviews and comments

That said, Carnival has seen the success that some of its competitors have had with a bigger range of upscale accommodations, and it's eyeing more suites for future vessels. The new Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration each have 180 suites — more than twice the number of Carnival's other recent ships. Carnival vessels based on the East Coast and along the Gulf of Mexico mostly sail to the Caribbean and Bahamas. Some East Coast ships also head to Bermuda, New England and Canada. On the West Coast, sailings to Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska are the norm.

Carnival Cruise Line ships will not return to service until March 2021

The most economical interiors were comfortable and basic, as were the ocean views. Gracing the cabins were prints from a series of five paintings by talented British artist Andrea Tana, daughter of famed restaurateur Dan Tana. In 2016, Carnival Cruise Lines rolled out fleetwide for-fee (chargeable) room service menu, which items can be ordered 24/7.

Likewise, the Blue Iguana Cantina is a Carnival staple found on nearly every ship. Yet somehow, knowing we can’t go to this particular one on this ship leaves us feeling a sense of loss. Or perhaps we’re just hungry for one of the venue’s signature dishes. Both served the same purpose — providing much-needed boosts of caffeine — although Cafe des Artistes style was a bit more old-world than the shops found on more recent Carnival ships. Drinks and voices were raised, laughs were shared, and all had a good time.

During the 3-week refurbishment in 2016, the crew area was also renovated. The vessel was constructed by STX Finland (at Kvaerner Masa-Yards/Helsinki New Shipyard) in Helsinki. The powerplant is based on Wartsila marine diesel engines (models 12ZAV40S and 12V38) with total power output 42,24 MW. Follows the complete list of Carnival Inspiration lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens, and adults.

Carnival Inspiration: A deck-by-deck cruise ship photo tour - USA TODAY

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In July 2020, Carnival Cruise Lines sold several ships from its fleet, including Carnival Inspiration. Along with Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Inspiration headed for the scrapyard in Turkey. As a result, Carnival canceled many future cruises, all the way through 2022, that would have taken place on Carnival Inspiration. Carnival Inspiration itinerary program was based on 3- and 4-day short-breaks ("Catalina-Ensenada") roundtrips from homeport Los Angeles (Long Beach CA departures) to Santa Catalina Island California and Ensenada Baja Mexico. Because of its short cruises, the vessel was an attraction for many first-timers as well as veteran cruisers who really enjoy the casual attitude and the comfort of the familiar. All Carnival cruises go to great spots — what sets each ship apart is how it gets you there.

The top decks of Carnival vessels are covered in family-focused attractions – pools, waterslide areas and bustling fun zones with such draws as ropes courses and miniature golf. Also, there are always several music venues where you'll find live performers in the afternoons and evenings, including — on some ships — the Atrium Bar and a secondary hub area called Ocean Plaza. There's almost always a piano bar that's home to lively singalongs. Most of these six ships (all but Carnival Venezia) have an a la carte barbecue-and-beer joint called Guy's Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse, too. In addition, every ship has at least one — and usually several — extra-charge eateries. The two venues have flat fees of $49 and $24 per person, respectively.

Dining

Fantasy-class ships also were the last cruise ships to only store their lifeboats on the upper deck. As has been the case with many of Carnival Cruises’ older ships, the cruise line did refresh Carnival Inspiration multiple times over its life, bringing it up to modern standards as much as it could, with new venues. However, there just comes a time when you can only do so much to make an old ship like this appealing to today’s cruisers. 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.

BlueIguana is a Chipotle-style restaurant, with yummy made-to-order burritos and tacos. Created in partnership with Food Network's Guy Fieri, Guy's Burger Joint offers burgers that beat anything you'll find around the pool on other mass-market ships and even most luxury vessels. Every vessel has two main dining rooms and a casual buffet eatery where meals are included in the fare.

We had done this cruise before so the ports weren't that special. They had fewer tenders to Catalina Island so there was a wait, even with FTTF. We rented a golf cart in Catalina for the 1st time and it was terrific. At Ensenada (you might not want to get off) we did the cheapest La Buffidora excursion Carnival offered. Not so much for the "blowhole" but it's a marketplace dedicated to tourists. I you're forced to let your wife shop, like I am, this was a very safe area with hundreds of shops and they weren't too aggressive.

You'll receive things like a single complimentary bottle of water (at the Red tier) and a single free drink that only can be ordered on the last night of a cruise (at the Gold tier). One or two nights a cruise, there will be a more formal "cruise elegant" night where men are expected to turn out in dress slacks and a dress shirt, preferably with a sports coat, or even in a suit. The suggested attire for women on such nights is cocktail dresses, pantsuits, elegant skirts and blouses. The social and value plans cost $18 and $23 per day, respectively, when bought onboard a ship. Carnival also offers a less expensive "social" plan that only allows access to key social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and messaging services such as WhatsApp for $15.30 a day when bought in advance. A slightly more expensive "value" plan, at $19.55 per day when bought in advance, adds access to email and most websites.

They’ll never understand what she meant to so many, where they see metals to be melted down and fixtures to be repurposed, we see a ship that transported us to new lands and the rails we gripped when seas got rough. As of today, the ships are entirely gone, with many of the ships’ materials having been repurposed, either on other ships, or in completely different uses altogether. In the first leg of its last journey, Carnival Inspiration traveled to Brion Wharf in Willemstad, Curacao, in early July 2020, where many important items that were not fit for scrapping were removed. Then, the ship headed across the Atlantic Ocean, making way for Turkey and, finally, the ship-breaking facility in Aliaga. For the kiddos, Camp Carnival provided programming for the youngest cruisers, while Circle C provided programming geared toward pre-teens and Club 02 catered to the teenagers in your crew.