Carnival Mardi Gras: Why You Should Cruise Onboard this Extraordinary Ship
Offering fun-fuelled cruise adventures, Carnival Cruise Line boasts 27 ships in their fleet, with one of their newest, Mardi Gras, setting sail in 2021. Featuring six immersive zones and offering a variety of experiences, from decadent dining to dazzling entertainment, this extraordinary cruise ship has something for all the family.
In this guide, we’ll take you through the top highlights onboard, the myriad of destinations Mardi Gras sails to, and a full review from one of our staff members, who was lucky enough to cruise on this captivating ship.
Keep reading to find out more!
Carnival Mardi Gras Six Zones
As mentioned above, Mardi Gras has six zones, including Grand Central, the French Quarter, Summer Landing, La Piazza, the Lido and The Ultimate Playground.
Here’s what you can expect in each of the zones:
- Grand Central - Mardi Gras’ atrium area, it’s the main hub of the ship, and features floor-to-ceiling windows the JavaBlue Cafe, Grand View Bar, Piano Bar 88, the Punchliner Comedy Club and more.
- The French Quarter - taking inspiration from the energetic city of New Orleans, this zone is lined with a myriad of eateries and bars, including Emeril’s Bistro 1396, the Fortune Teller bar, the Brass Magnolia and more.
- Summer Landing - a picturesque al fresco area, here you’ll find Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse | Brewhouse, The Watering Hole poolside bar, the Heroes Tribute Lounge and Swirls, alongside a pool and whirlpools.
- La Piazza - feel as though you’ve been transported to Italy in this atmospheric zone, with restaurants and bars including Cucina del Capitano, Pizzeria del Capitano, Piazza Panini and Bar della Rosa.
- The Lido - the ‘poolside zone’, the Lido, features the RedFrog Tiki Bar, Shaquille O’Neal’s Big Chicken, the Seafood Shack and more.
- The Ultimate Playground - a thrilling zone, here you’ll find BOLT - a spine-chilling rollercoaster, Carnival WaterWorks with three waterslides and SportSquare that has a mini golf course, ropes course and basketball court.
Where Does Carnival Mardi Gras Sail to?
Mardi Gras sails to a variety of destinations, from Eastern and Western Caribbean to the Mediterranean on transatlantic crossings and beyond. From short breaks, to week-long getaways and more, you’ll be able to find the best Mardi Gras holiday for your budget and preferences, whether you’re looking for a quick, tropical escape or a longer family cruise.
Carnival Mardi Gras Staff Review
One of Iglu’s staff members, Dennis and his family travelled on Carnival's Mardi Gras last year on a Western Caribbean itinerary. He had the following to say about his unforgettable trip:
“Boarding for our cruise was fairly simple in a huge terminal in Port Canaveral. It was a great experience with very little waiting time. Once onboard we were welcomed by Carnival crew who were very welcoming to the children and showed us where to find our cabin. Our balcony cabin was ready to go and we were pleasantly surprised by the modern feel and light colours. Our oldest was chuffed with her pullman bed and the little man had the sofa bed below.”
“As with any cruise we take with the kids, we make sure to have their bathing suits in our hand luggage so that they can get changed straight away, and up we headed to one of the 6 different zones, called the Ultimate Playground where you can find the waterpark, sports court, mini golf and best of all ‘BOLT’. BOLT is a rollercoaster which only costs a small fee to ride. It was well worth the money and it will get the adrenaline pumping. You are in control of the speed so if you want to go any faster you can just hit the gas. The kids were too young to go on BOLT but their frowns were turned upside down quite rapidly when they discovered the soft ice cream machines, where you could get free ice cream for the whole cruise- what could go wrong!”
“The kids were signed up to the kids club and visited it daily. The kids club is Dr. Seuss-themed and it even has a library with all Dr. Seuss books. On board they organised a Thing 1 & Thing 2 Birthday Breakfast; the kids absolutely loved it as they got see and interact with some of the Dr. Seuss Characters.”
“The cruise had 3 sea days which we didn’t mind as the kids loved the kids club. This gave us some time to relax and enjoy some of the different eateries on board. As mentioned earlier the BBQ place was my favourite. The La Piazza zone was a big hit with the kids as this is where you can find Pizzeria del Capitano and Piazza Panini, just rock up and walk away with a panini or pizza slice of your choice, hard to imagine the kids wouldn’t have liked it.”
“In terms of entertainment, the Carnival crew go all out. The sailaway party was probably the best one I have ever experienced. On board you can find your traditional theatre at the front of the ship where you can go and enjoy an evening show. You also have the Grand Central in the Atrium, during the days the back of the stage has the curtains open and it creates a lovely view and welcoming area to sit down and read a book or enjoy a coffee. It is in the evening that this space becomes a superb entertaining venue where we watched a wonderful show featuring aerial acrobatics.”
“Since we sailed during the Mardi Gras festival time there was a competition for the King and Queen of Mardi Gras to be crowned. During this people dressed up in the colourful outfits with the bead necklaces and the crowd got to choose their King and Queen. The Americans on board went crazy overboard with the outfits but it only made the experience better.”
Dennis also had the following to say about the cruise itinerary:
“As we sailed from Port Canaveral we opted for a Western Caribbean cruise with 2 stops in Mexico and 1 in Honduras. Travelling with young kids means we look for fun things to do. In Cozumel we had a wander around the town and then headed to a beach club, you pay a fee to get in but have a nice pool right by the beach etc.”
“When arriving in Costa Maya you have to walk through a little shopping village to get out of the port, where you are greeted by eager vendors to come and have a look at their souvenirs. As we hadn’t planned anything for the day we ended up booking a bus at the exit, to take us to the beach where we spent the day. Even though a dark cloud appeared we were happily surprised how fast it blew over. Plus, it gave us some respite from the hot sun, and it created a nice dramatic backdrop for a picture of the Mardi Gras in the distance.”
“The last port we visited was Roatan in Honduras. Where we docked there was a chair lift to take you to a private beach. The kids absolutely loved this! In this private area, you were able to rent sun loungers etc. The restaurant there was brilliant, I enjoyed a nice grilled fish with a nice cold beer to keep me cool during the hot day. “
“If you like a nice relaxing day by the sea then I would highly recommend going here. Once again the kids had a blast. There were loads of other activities available either through the cruise excursion desk or by the local sales people waiting at the exit of the ship. A 4x4 tour sparked my interest but it was immediately dismissed by the family as they preferred a beach day.”
“We had an absolutely amazing time on board and I couldn’t recommend Carnival and Mardi Gras enough. We ended up having some days after the cruise in Orlando, but if you don’t have this luxury and fly back after your cruise then there is one more tip I can give you - which is book the trip to Kennedy Space centre. This excursion will take you to the NASA space centre and will drop you off at the airport afterwards. It is a great way to spend the day and avoids having to spend the day at the airport. Earliest flight departure time for this excursion would be 5pm and the cost of this excursion would be around $120 for the whole family.”
Book Your Carnival Mardi Gras Getaway with Iglu Cruise Today
If you’re looking for an unforgettable cruise escape filled with fun, look no further than a Carnival Mardi Gras cruise. With so much on offer, from mouth-watering dining to exceptional entertainment, there’ll never be a dull moment throughout your Mardi Gras holiday. Book your Carnival Mardi Gras getaway with Iglu Cruise today and get ready for a cruise that’ll create memories that last a lifetime.
Discover our other Carnival Cruise Line blogs here: