Carnival Glory

The 2003-built Carnival Glory cruise ship is the second of Carnival's Conquest-class vessels, with sisterships Conquest, Freedom, Valor, and Liberty.

The vessel (IMO number 9198367) is currently Panama-flagged (MMSI 357659000) and registered in Colon.

History - construction and ownership

Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) is a US-based shipping company, trademarked brand, and subsidiary of Carnival Corporation (the shipowner). CCL was founded in 1972 as an independent company by Ted Arison (1924–1999, co-founder of NCL Norwegian).

CCL operates the Corporation's largest fleet in both number of vessels and GT-tonnage (gross tonnage, representing ship size/volume and passenger capacity). As of 2023, CCL accounted for ~9% of global cruise industry revenue and ~19% of passengers. In 2024, Carnival Corporation held an estimated 51% share of the US$64+ billion global cruise market.

The 3,000-passenger Carnival Glory and her sisterships rank among the largest in the CCL fleet. They are essentially larger, more feature-rich versions of the earlier Destiny-class ships, offering expanded decks, additional bars and lounges, an upscale steakhouse, and spacious public areas.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Glory staterooms (1,492 total across 27 grades) include 54 Suites, 521 Balcony, 330 Oceanview, and 587 Inside cabins, including 28 wheelchair-accessible staterooms across various categories. While the ship does not have designated "family cabins," it offers numerous connecting staterooms. Most cabins range in size from 170–185 ft² (16–17 m²), with balconies ranging from 35–75 ft² (3–7 m²). There are three types of suites – Captain’s, Grand, and Ocean – with the largest being the Captain’s Suites (500 ft² / 46 m², plus a 150 ft² / 14 m² terrace).

The vessel has 13 passenger decks, 8 of which contain staterooms. Over 50% of all accommodations are outside cabins, and 60% of those feature balconies.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Carnival Glory offers two formal restaurants – Golden and Platinum – that serve open-seating breakfast and lunch. Dinner is served via open seating or two assigned times. The casual Red Sail Lido buffet features a range of food stations offering salads, deli items, desserts, and daily regional cuisine. Additional venues include outdoor poolside grills, a specialty coffee bar, complimentary sushi, a pizzeria, and 24-hour room service with a limited menu.

Complete list of Carnival Glory restaurants and food venues:

• Golden Restaurant (744-seat forward dining room with two fixed dinner seatings and "Your Time Dining"; hosts "Seuss At Sea" themed breakfasts for $5)
• Platinum Restaurant (1,122-seat aft dining room with fixed dinner seatings and open-seating breakfast and lunch)
• BlueIguana Cantina (complimentary Mexican fast food – burritos, tacos)
• Guy’s Burger Joint (complimentary burger bar by Guy Fieri)
• Red Sail Lido Buffet (1,396-seat self-serve venue with multiple stations; operates as a bistro in the evenings)
• Emerald Room Steakhouse (108-seat specialty restaurant for steaks and seafood; includes dance floor and live music)
• Meiji Sushi Bar (complimentary)
• Sushi at Sea (Lido Bar) – mini version of Bonsai Sushi with à la carte prices ($1.50–$7.50)

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Known as the “most colorful” ship in the fleet, Carnival Glory offers a wide range of entertainment options. The 1,400-seat Amber Palace was inspired by Russia’s historic Amber Room, featuring gold leaf columns, rococo moldings, candelabras, and portraits of Russian royalty. It hosts nightly shows such as adult games, Vegas-style revues, and "Hasbro, the Game Show." The Punchliner Comedy Club, held in Ebony Cabaret on Deck 5, features family-friendly and R-rated comedy shows with a rotating cast of comedians. Brave guests often sit in the front row!

Complete list of Carnival Glory lounges, clubs, and entertainment venues for all ages:

• Amber Palace Theatre (1,400-seat main lounge for productions, movies, bingo)
• Glory Atrium The Colors Lobby (9-deck-high open area with Colors Lobby Bar, live music stage)
• Copper Card Room (28-seat), Silver Room Art Gallery (36-seat), Black and White Library (17-seat with board games), Photo Gallery/Shop, Green Conference Room (100-seat)
• Circle C (kids club with games, parties, supervised activities)
• Cyberspace Internet Cafe (6-computer, 24-hour access)
• Ivory Club Bar (147-seat cigar lounge with live music)
• The Fun Shops (duty-free liquor, jewelry, apparel, souvenirs)
• Cherry on Top (candy shop with gifts, gear, tuxedo rentals)
• EA Sports Bar, Viennese Cafe, Creams Cafe (coffee bar), Taste Bar (complimentary appetizers), Alchemy Bar (custom cocktails), Cinn-A-Bar (100-seat piano bar), Bar Blue (jazz bar)
• Camel Club Casino (484-seat, served by Kaleidoscope Bar), Kaleidoscope Boulevard Promenade Bar (23-seat), Kiosk (Sail & Sign services)
• Club O2 (teen lounge for games, movies, karaoke, themed events), Video Games Arcade (24-hour)
• White Heat Disco & Nightclub (211-seat), Ebony Cabaret Lounge (425-seat, comedy shows and brunch)
• Turquoise Pool (with 2 whirlpools, Turquoise Bar), Azure Lido Pool (with 2 whirlpools, Azure Bar, Grill, Pizzeria)
• BlueIguana Tequila Bar, RedFrog Rum Bar (Caribbean rums, ThirstyFrog Red draft beer)
• Aqua Park (Cobalt Pool with Twister Waterslide, 1 whirlpool, splash pools, fountains)
• Carnival Seaside Theatre (outdoor LED screen and performance stage)
• Spa Carnival (steam rooms, saunas, massage rooms, beauty salon, spa pool, gym)
• Sports Deck (multi-sport court, ping pong, shuffleboard), jogging track, 9-hole mini-golf course
• Serenity (adults-only sundeck with bar, whirlpools, padded loungers)
• Camp Ocean (children’s club with supervised programs and outdoor play area; note: Camp Carnival’s wading pool has been removed)

Itineraries

Carnival Glory currently sails from Port NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) with Sunday departures. The 7-day itineraries visit ports in the Eastern and Western Caribbean. Destinations include Florida (Key West), the Bahamas (Freeport, Nassau, North Bimini, Half Moon Cay), Mexico (Cozumel), Belize City, and Honduras (Roatan Island). A special 14-day Panama Canal itinerary includes stops in Jamaica, Aruba, Bonaire, Cartagena (Colombia), Gatun Lake (Panama), Puerto Limon (Costa Rica), and Cozumel.

In December 2022, CCL announced that starting in May 2024, Carnival Glory will be homeported at Port Canaveral/Orlando (Florida), replacing her sistership Carnival Liberty. Glory will offer roundtrip Bahamas cruises departing Fridays (3-night itineraries to Nassau or North Bimini) and Mondays (4-night itineraries to either North Bimini + Nassau or Princess Cays + Nassau).

The boat's Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade was completed in 2012. Carnival Glory is one of the company's Conquest-class vessels, with sisterships Conquest, Freedom, Liberty, and Valor. The vessel was floated out on July 19, 2003, at the Fincantieri Monfalcone shipyard. Following a Transatlantic crossing (without passengers) from Europe to the USA, Carnival Glory began her Maiden Voyage from Port Canaveral/Orlando (Florida) on July 14th. The christening ceremony took place in Port Canaveral on July 19th, led by godmother Sally Ride (1951–2012), an American physicist and astronaut who, in 1983, became the first American woman in space.

During the inaugural season (2003-2004), Carnival Glory operated 7-day roundtrip itineraries from Port Canaveral to the Western Caribbean (Mexico’s Cozumel and Progreso, Belize City, Key West FL) and the Eastern Caribbean (Nassau Bahamas, Philipsburg St Maarten, Charlotte Amalie St Thomas USVI).

In November 2012, Carnival Glory was drydocked for the "Fun Ship 2.0" refurbishment. This upgrade introduced several new bars and lounges and included a full renovation of all cabins and public areas.

A fun fact: Carnival Glory has two notable namesakes. The 2017-launched "COSCO Glory" (operated by COSCO Line) is one of the world’s largest container ships with a capacity of 20,170 TEU-containers. The MS Viking Glory (2021) is a China-built cruiseferry owned by VIKING LINE.

In September 2021, Carnival Glory was chartered by FEMA to serve as a hotel ship in Port NOLA/New Orleans, Louisiana, providing accommodations for front-line and relief workers in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida (CruiseMinus).

Carnival Glory Drydock Refurbishment 2024

The ship's most recent drydocking took place from April 3-16, 2024, at Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz, Spain.

The refurbishment project included a full redesign of the Casino Lounge, with updated decor and furniture throughout all public spaces. The Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge (deck xx) and Dreams Photography Studio (deck xx) were added. The wellness complex (Cloud 9 Spa) and the Warehouse Arcade were renovated. Camp Ocean (the children's complex) was revamped, and a large video wall was installed to support the Space Cruisers program, a partnership with NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Merritt Island, Florida. Numerous public areas, including stairways and hallways, were also refreshed.

The scope of work included structural repairs, hull cleaning and painting, routine maintenance, cabin upgrades, and refurbishments across public spaces (including new flooring and repainting).

Carnival Glory Drydock 2021

Between June and July 2021, Carnival Glory underwent drydock at Chantier Naval de Marseille (CNdM Shipyard in Marseille, France), primarily for general maintenance.

During this drydock, Glory became Carnival's second ship (after Carnival Magic) to adopt the new trademarked hull livery—red, white, and blue—replacing the previous white hull with a red stripe along its length. The new design was first introduced on Carnival Mardi Gras.

Carnival Glory Refurbishment 2017 Review

From February 25 to March 10, 2017, Carnival Glory was refurbished in Freeport, Bahamas. During this drydock, the ship received the WaterWorks aqua park.

Carnival WaterWorks is an aqua park (open from 10 am to 5 pm) that includes a Splash Zone (fountains, water spray cannons, jets, splash pools), a kids’ pool, two mini racing slides for children, and the Power Drencher (a 150-gallon / 570-liter tipping bucket that empties at intervals). It also features the Green Thunder (a 187 ft / 57 m long thrill slide with speeds of up to 25 mph / 40 kph and a 34 ft / 10 m drop) and the Twister Waterslide (a 214 ft / 65 m spiraling tube slide starting on the entrance level and ending on deck 10).

To ride the waterslides, passengers must be at least 107 cm (42 inches) tall. There are no weight restrictions. Children under 13 must have parental permission. Eyeglasses must be secured with head straps. Not permitted are children not toilet-trained (including those in diapers or swim diapers), multiple riders, flotation devices, swimwear with exposed metal parts (zippers, buckles, rivets, decorations), jewelry/accessories, and use of Splash Park areas without adult supervision.

In November 2012, the ship underwent a drydock that implemented part of the "Fun Ship 2.0" upgrades, which included the addition of BlueIguana Tequila Bar, RedFrog Rum Bar, Alchemy Bar, BlueIguana Cantina, Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint, Punchliner Comedy Club, Hasbro Game Show, and Playlist Productions.