Carnival Breeze

The 2012-built Carnival Breeze cruise ship is the 3rd Dream-class vessel in the CCL-Carnival fleet, together with Carnival Dream (September 2009) and Carnival Magic (May 2011).

The vessel (IMO number 9555723) is currently Panama-flagged (MMSI 354842000) and registered in Colon.

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). Carnival Cruise Lines has Corporation's largest fleet as both a number of vessels and GT tonnage (ship sizes and capacities). CCL has over 1/5 of the cruise industry's worldwide market.

The 3690-passenger ship Carnival Breeze was launched on June 3, 2012. This ship introduced the line's first complete "Fun Ship 2.0" concept. It is a fleetwide initiative concentrated on food, drink, and amusement, allowing Carnival cruise passengers to tour, taste and laugh their way through new onboard places. Breeze is the first Fun Ship in decades that was not constructed by Joe Farcus - the man that dreamed in neon and polished marble. Much of what is found on the Carnival ships Dream and Magic is on the Breeze too.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Breeze staterooms (1845 total) include 54 Suites, 851 Balcony, 227 Oceanview and 713 Iside cabins, in all 34 grades. Most staterooms are sized 170-185 ft2 / 16-17 m2. Most cabin balconies are sized 35-45 ft2 / 3-4 m2. Deluxe Oceanviews are with two separate washrooms and advertised as "Family cabins" having max capacity 5 passengers. Cove Balcony (located beneath the lifeboats on Deck 2) have partially enclosed verandas.

CCL Breeze ship also has 368 connecting ("Family" cabins), 79 "Cloud 9 Spa", 35 wheelchair-accessible, and "Cove Balcony" cabins (located on Deck 2/by the lifeboats). The largest are the Grand Suites (345 ft2 / 32 m2 plus 85 ft2 / 8 m2 terrace) with max occupancy 4 passengers.

The boat has 14 decks, of which 9 are with cabins.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Breeze is the line's first Carnival cruise vessel to feature a stand-alone sushi restaurant - Bonsai Sushi. It is decked out with koi kites, Bonsai trees and artwork made by graffiti painters Erni Vales. The restaurant offers sushi, sashimi, and rolls along with bento boxes and "sushi vessel". Pricing is a la carte, from 1 dollar for appetizer­sized pieces to 15 dollars for sushi for a couple.

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

• Sapphire Restaurant (2-level forward Dining Room, entertainment options are the “Punchliner Comedy Brunch" and “Seuss At Sea” for kids)
• Blush Restaurant (2-level aft Dining Room)
• Ocean Plaza (lounge area) served by the Plaza Cafe (patisserie)
• Bonsai Sushi Bar (Japanese restaurant)
• Fat Jimmy’s C-Side BBQ (barbeque and grill restaurant)
• RedFrog Pub (live music, serving the ThirstyFrog Red beer /private label draft beer)
• Alchemy Bar (added 2017)
• Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse (specialty restaurant, with “Chef’s Table” dining)
• Guy’s Burger Joint (poolside burger bar)
• Guy’s Pig and Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse (added 2017) open-air complimentary BBQ restaurant on Promenade Deck.
• BlueIguana Tequila Bar (poolside Mexican bar)
• Bluelguana Cantina (poolside Mexican fast food bar)
• Lido Marketplace (self-service buffet restaurant)
• Pizza Pirate (24-hour pizzeria restaurant)
• RedFrog Rum Bar (also serves the ThirstyFrog Red draught beer)
• Cucina del Capitano (Italian Trattoria)
• SeaDogs (hot-dogs station)

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Breeze was the first in the Carnival Cruise Lines fleet to debut the new multi­dimensional Thrill Theater which combines a high­definition projection system with original special effects. Carnival Breeze is also the fleet's first to present the high­tech Playlist Productions shows that combine LED staging and special effects with live performances. Also on Breeze: The Game Show Hasbro, based on the popular TV series Family Game Night produced by Hasbro Studios and presented on The Hub, a network for kids and their families. The children are also catered for on Deck 11 in Camp Carnival play area.

Other parts of the cruise liner coddle tweens and teens with Wii video games, dance floors, and more. There are also “Dive­In Movies at the Seaside Theater” outdoors with free popcorn and blankets. Fun lovers of all ages will appreciate the 214­-foot long Twister waterslide, not to mention PowerDrencher dump bucket, 3 pools, and 7 hot tubs. At SportsSquare, the ship has the 230­foot SkyCourse ropes course, where guests can choose between beginner and intermediate courses above the top deck.

The following official YouTube video reviews Carnival's Dream-class vessels (Breeze, Dream, Magic) as facilities and onboard amenities.

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

• Ovation Theatre (3-level show lounge, with “Playlist Productions” and “Hasbro Game Shows”)
• The Library Bar and Lounge (cocktail bar)
• Conference Center
• Thrill Theatre (5D cinema room)
• FunHub (Internet room)
• Circle C (kids club lounge)
• Club O2 (teens club lounge)
• Warehouse (Video Arcade)
• The Fun Shops (duty-free shopping arcade)
• Cherry on Top (candy shop)
• Winner’s Luck Casino
• The Lanai (outdoor seating promenade with cantilevered whirlpools)
• Liquid Disco and Nightclub
• Piano Bar 88 (lounge)
• Limelight Lounge (live entertainment)
• Camp Ocean (formerly known as "Camp Carnival" - youth activities program)
• Carnival Cloud 9 Spa (wellness complex)
• Carnival WaterWorks (water-play outdoor area with AquaPark, Twister waterslide, DrainPipe waterslide)
• SportSquare (outdoor sporting area with a mini-golf course, “Skycourse” rope course, Sports Park Bar, combined court)
• Jogging Track
• Seaside Theatre (outdoor cinema with large-size LED screen)
• Serenity (adults relaxation area served by Serenity Bar, with 2 cantilevered Whirlpools and sunbathing area).

Itineraries

Carnival Breeze cruise liner spent its inaugural cruise season in Europe, starting with a 12-night maiden voyage on June 3, 2012. Followed a set of 12-night itineraries in the Mediterranean Sea out of Barcelona Spain (through Oct 25, 2012). Next was the 13-night Transatlantic crossing (Nov 6 – Nov 21) to Miami, where the ship was home-ported for year-round, alternating 6- and 8-night Caribbean cruises from Miami FL.

The current Carnival Breeze itinerary program is based on departures from Port of Miami Florida. On its Florida round-trips, the ship visits popular islands and ports of call in the Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean. Starting December 2016, the ship will be leaving from Port of Galveston Texas to Western Caribbean and Florida-Bahamas ports of call.

Breeze is the last of Carnival's Dream-class liners (Fincantieri Monfalcone-built), with sisterships Dream and Magic, and also Costa Diadema. Carnival Breeze debuted on June 3, 2012 (Inaugural Cruise) with Mediterranean cruises, and in the fall was relocated to Caribbean and Bahamas. Breeze is designed with a large wellness complex (sized 2206 m2), cantilevered whirlpools and exterior promenade (half a mile long). Amenities also include a corkscrew waterslide, adults-only "Serenity" deck, "Cloud 9 Spa", WaterWorks (aqua park), Seaside Theatre. Cabins for families can accommodate up to 5 passengers. New on the Breeze ship was the Bonsai Sushi restaurant. Previous Carnival vessels offered only rolled out nightly fee-free sushi "carts".

The ship arrived for the first time in the USA (PortMiami) on November 21, 2012, and the maiden Caribbean voyage (8-day Southern Caribbean itinerary) departed on Nov 25th. The christening ceremony was held on December 10th and led by godmother Tracy Wilson Mourning (1970-born broadcast journalist, motivational speaker, philanthropist, designer, author). Breeeze was homeported in Miami thru November 2016 when started roundtrips from Galveston Texas. There were three different itineraries: Western Caribbean (to Jamaica/Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, Mexico/Cozumel), Western Caribbean (to Belize; Roatan, Mexico/Cozumel) and Bahamas (to Nassau, Freeport, Key West Florida).

The liner's namesake is the Windstar-operated superyacht Star Breeze (1989-built as Seabourn Spirit).

Carnival Breeze refurbishment 2017 review

The ship's 2017 drydock refurbishment (April 16-29, in Freeport Bahamas) resulted in the following deckplan changes:

(Promenade Deck 9) Alchemy Bar was added (Carnival's “cocktail pharmacy” lounge with professional mixologists and made-to-order drinks).

(Promenade Deck 5) "Guy’s Pig & Anchor Barbeque Smokehouse" is a complimentary, open-air complimentary restaurant located on the Lanai Promenade. The Smokehouse is designed by Guy Fieri (Food Network). Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse's menu features BBQ favorites, like pork butt, blue ribbon chicken, sliced smoked beef, smoked Andouille sausage, Guy Fieri's traditional sides and gourmet burgers, a variety of BBQ sauces, hot sauce bar. Signature menu items are named Mac Daddy Mac'n Cheese, Old Skool Potato Salad, Scratch-Made Slaw, Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey, Molasses Baked Beans with Bacon and Burnt Ends.

Various technical enhancements were also implemented, including shoreside power capabilities. Routine maintenance works included new hull coating. The crew area was also renovated.