Carnival Pride

The 2002-built Carnival Pride cruise ship is the second of four Spirit-class CCL liners, alongside fleetmates Miracle, Spirit, and Legend, as well as Costa's ships Atlantica and Mediterranea. The vessel was built at a cost of USD 375 million and was most recently refurbished in 2023.

The vessel (IMO number 9223954) is currently Panama-flagged (MMSI 354215000) and registered in Colon.

History - Construction and Ownership

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

CCL operates the largest fleet within Carnival Corporation, both in terms of vessel count and GT tonnage (gross tonnage, i.e., ship size and passenger capacity). In 2023, CCL held approximately 9% of global cruise industry revenue and 19% of total passengers. In 2024, Carnival Corporation maintained a ~51% market share of the USD 64+ billion cruise industry.

The 2100-passenger Carnival Pride introduced several firsts for the brand, including onboard wedding chapels and alternative dining venues. Spirit-class ships are known for offering 80% outside cabins and unique touches such as designer martinis and museum-quality artwork.

Decks and Cabins

Carnival Pride staterooms (1,062 total across 28 categories) include 50 Suites, 634 Balcony, 171 Oceanview, and 215 Inside cabins. The ship has 16 wheelchair-accessible cabins but no Spa staterooms. Most cabins are approximately 185 ft² (17 m²), and balconies average 40 ft² (4 m²). Suites are available in four types (Grand, Vista, Ocean, Junior), with the largest being Grand Suites at 300 ft² (28 m²) plus a 115 ft² (11 m²) terrace.

The ship has 12 passenger decks, six of which contain cabins.

Shipboard Dining Options - Food and Drinks

Despite its size, Carnival Pride has only one main dining room—the aft-located Normandie Restaurant. It offers a pleasant dining experience with panoramic windows on three sides and a tiered layout that helps absorb noise from the crowd of ~1,000 guests.

Casual dining is offered on the Lido Deck, where the aft half is filled with tables and food stations. Mermaid’s Grille functions as a casual dinner venue, while Mermaid Bistro is the buffet-style Lido option. Rather than a traditional buffet line, food stations are arranged into smaller groupings throughout the dining area. Complimentary Lido venues also include Guy’s Burger Joint and BlueIguana Cantina.

Bonsai Sushi is a full Asian restaurant, not just a sushi bar. Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse (formerly David’s Steakhouse), located at the top of the Atrium beneath the glass dome, is a reservations-only fine dining venue with an added surcharge.

Here is a complete list of Carnival Pride's dining venues:

• Normandie Restaurant (1,250-seat aft dining room with fixed dinner seatings and “Your Time Dining”; offers “Seuss At Sea” breakfasts for $5; includes Captain’s Club Room annex).
• Mermaid’s Grille Lido Buffet (1,458-seat self-service venue with complimentary food stations; serves as a dinner bistro in the evenings).
• Sushi Bar (complimentary).

In the 2023 refurbishment, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse replaced David’s Steakhouse. This 156-seat restaurant offers seafood and prime beef cuts and includes a dance floor and stage for live entertainment. Located across Decks 10–11, it features indoor and outdoor seating and operates from 6–9:30 p.m. The $35 per person surcharge includes one appetizer, one entrée, one dessert, and gratuity.

Menu highlights include starters (escargot, crab cake, lobster bisque), salads, sides, entrees (steaks, lamb, chicken, seafood), and desserts. Drinks such as wines, coffee, and after-dinner cocktails are available at bar prices. A tableside cart display and cooking demonstrations enhance the dining experience. Guests can also reserve the exclusive “Chef’s Table” dining experience.

Shipboard Entertainment Options - Fun and Sport

The ship’s interior showcases artwork inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, and various architectural styles (Greek, Byzantine, Renaissance, Victorian). Designer Joe Farcus themed the ship “Icons of Beauty,” celebrating art, architecture, the human body, and the human spirit. Onboard amenities include 16 bars/lounges, 4 pools, and 4 hot tubs. The Camp Ocean kids' center offers complimentary activities for children of all ages.

The Taj Mahal Theater (main show lounge) hosts nightly Playlist Productions featuring themed musical performances (e.g., 1980s, Havana Nights). Daytime activities include Hasbro, The Game Show live.

Complete list of entertainment venues and lounges:

• Butterflies Lounge (484-seat Punchliner Comedy Club and brunch venue).
• Beauties Disco and Nightclub (118-seat dance club).
• Taj Mahal Theatre (1,167-seat, 3-level show lounge also used for movies, bingo, and game shows).
• Crystal Card Room (20-seat games lounge).
• The Piazza Cafe (112-seat specialty coffee and pastry bar).
• Florentine Lobby Lounge (85-seat wine bar), Ivory Bar (106-seat piano bar), Snack Bar, Towel Bar, Raphael Foyer Lounge (66-seat).
• Starry Night Jazz Club (135-seat jazz lounge).
• The Winner’s Club Casino (278 seats, served by the Winners Bar).
• Renaissance Atrium (9-deck-high open space midship with dance floor and 147-seat bar).
• Sunset Garden Interior Promenade (52 seats).
• The Warehouse Arcade (video game arcade).
• Via Veneto Promenade (23 seats).
• The Fun Shops (Bon Voyage gifts, duty-free, jewelry, souvenirs); Formalities Shop (tux rentals, gifts); Dreams Studio (photography services and sessions).
• The Cove (teens lounge) and Club O2 (tweens), with games, movies, karaoke, and parties.
• Circle C (kids-only lounge with games, movies, competitions).
• Camp Ocean (aft, kids’ complex with supervised activities).
• Spa Carnival (steam rooms, saunas, whirlpool, 10 treatment rooms, salon, fitness center).
• Serenity (adults-only area with whirlpool, pool, bar, loungers).
• Carnival WaterWorks (aqua park with waterslides and splash areas).
• Volleyball/Basketball Court, 9-hole mini-golf, jogging track, shuffleboard.

During the 2023 drydock, new venues were added: Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge, Carnival Adventures Shop, and Dreams Studio. The Cloud 9 Spa & Fitness Center was updated with new equipment, and Deck 11 saw the addition of the Carnival WaterWorks aqua park.

Carnival WaterWorks is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and features a Splash Zone (fountains, water jets, pools), kids’ slides, Power Drencher tipping bucket (150 gallons / 570 liters), Green Thunder (187 ft / 57 m slide, 34 ft / 10 m drop, 25 mph / 40 kph), and the Twister Waterslide (214 ft / 65 m spiral slide ending on Deck 10, entry on Deck 11).

Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge (Deck 4, formerly Skybox Sports Bar) is the first at-sea venue honoring U.S. military service members. The décor includes logos of all five armed forces, memorabilia, and tribute walls. Specialty cocktails are served in custom pint glasses, with a portion of proceeds benefiting Operation Homefront. Glasses are available for purchase as souvenirs.

Itineraries

Carnival Pride’s current itinerary program is based on roundtrips from homeport Tampa, Florida, offering 6-, 7-, and 8-day Western Caribbean cruises, including Panama Canal (Gatun Lake) transits. Tampa homeporting began in January 2017.

In June 2022, Carnival Pride was deployed to the UK for an ex-UK program based out of Dover, England, offering 9- and 12-day cruises to ports in the British Isles (Scotland, Wales, Ireland), Atlantic Europe (France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands), and the Norwegian Fjords. Carnival last homeported in Dover in 2013.

For the summer 2023 season, the ship returned to Europe with itineraries to the British Isles, Iceland, and Norway, again sailing from Dover.

Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade was completed in 2013. Carnival Pride is one of CCL-Carnival’s Spirit-class liners, along with sisterships Legend, Miracle, Spirit, and also Costa Atlantica and Costa Mediterranea. The ship was christened by godmother Tamara Jernigan (Tamara Elizabeth "Tammy" Jernigan) – a U.S. scientist and former NASA astronaut with five Space Shuttle missions, totaling 1,512 hours (63 days) in space. The inaugural cruise (maiden voyage) began on January 12, 2002, and until 2014, Carnival Pride's homeport was Baltimore, MD.

The vessel’s interior design theme, created by Joe Farcus, is titled "Icons of Beauty." It celebrates beauty in art, the human form, global architecture, and life in general. The ship features a multi-million-dollar art collection displayed throughout public areas, including works and inspirations from Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, and Da Vinci, as well as elements of Byzantine, Victorian, Ancient Greek, and Italian Renaissance architecture.

On February 5, 2017, the ship was chartered by "Bare Necessities Tour and Travel" for the agency's "Big Nude Boat Cruise." This themed cruise was a 9-day roundtrip from Tampa, FL (Feb 5–14) with port calls at Key West, Half Moon Cay Island, Grand Turk Island, and Amber Cove (Dominicana). The voyage featured special onboard events, such as the "For the Love of Nudism Film Festival." However, clothing was required when in port and during meal times.

Fun fact: Carnival Pride shares her name with another vessel – the 2014-launched "HYUNDAI Pride." Operated by Hyundai Merchant Marine, this ship is one of the world's largest container ships, with a capacity of 13,100 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units).

Carnival Pride Refurbishments Review

From April 28 through May 27, 2023, Carnival Pride underwent a major drydock refit and refurbishment at Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz, Spain.

During this drydocking, the ship received three new venues: Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge, Carnival Adventures Shop, and Dreams Photo Studio. The wellness complex (Cloud 9 Spa & Fitness Center) was fully renovated and equipped with new machinery. The hull was cleaned and repainted, and the vessel received Carnival’s updated red-white-blue livery. Several onboard systems and technical equipment were also overhauled or upgraded.

• The lower level of Beauties Dance Club (aft-portside on Deck 1) was replaced with new passenger cabins and The Chef's Table (VIP dining room).
• On Deck 2, Skybox Sports Bar was replaced by Heroes Tribute Bar & Lounge, and the Crystal Card Room was replaced by the Carnival Adventures Store. The Casino was redesigned and expanded, and the Shore Excursions Desk was rebranded as Carnival Adventures. Dreams Studio was added to the Lobby for photo sessions.
• On Deck 3, the Nobel Library/Internet Café and the adjacent Chapel were replaced with The Warehouse Arcade (video games).
• On Deck 4 (forward-portside), the Real Virtuality Video Arcade was transformed into The Cove (a teens' lounge).
• On Deck 5, Camp Carnival was renamed Camp Ocean.
• On Deck 10 (aft), David’s Steakhouse was replaced with Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, spanning two levels.
• On Deck 11 (aft), the Carnival WaterWorks aqua park was added.

The 2023 drydock also included the renovation of 450 cabin balconies.

Previous major refurbishments of Carnival Pride were conducted in 2019 (Feb 3–16, part of the Fun Ship 2.0 upgrade) and in 2014 (Oct 19–Nov 9).