Carnival Glory: a glorious addition to the "fun ship" fleet

Cruise Travel, March-April, 2005 by Georgina Cruz

Shortly after we set sail from Port Canaveral on a seven-day voyage to the Eastern Caribbean on Carnival Cruise Lines' Carnival Glory, my husband and I stood out ondeck and gazed at a completely blue world: cloudless skies as far as the eye could see above, plus calm indigo waters below. And while the panorama outdoors was made up only of shades of blue, inside we had a veritable rainbow.

The 110,000-gross-register-ton/2,974-passenger Carnival Glory embraces color, and does so to such an extent--each public room celebrates a shade of the rainbow--that color becomes her theme. Entering service in 2003, the Carnival Glory is the second of Carnival Cruise Lines' Conquest Class ships. The others in the series, an expanded version of the line's 101,000-grt Destiny Class vessels, are the Carnival Conquest, which debuted in 2002, Carnival Valor (December 2004), and Carnival Liberty (set to enter service in July).

As we walked inside from the outer deck to the Colors Lobby and took a seat in the Color Bar on Lobby Deck (3), we were reminded of our childhood kaleidoscopes as we looked up toward the nine-level main atrium where some 70 polished-aluminum, glass-laced light fixtures form an impressive canopy of color that creates constantly changing abstract shapes. Beyond this canopy, the towering silver atrium wall has 20 stage-lights shining on it, also creating abstract shapes in continuous motion.

Like the main atrium, which is called Old Glory and has interpretative paintings of U.S. flags behind the Lobby Bar, the Kaleidoscope Boulevard on Promenade Deck (5), the hub of the ship where many of the entertainment venues are located, is highlighted by one-square-meter polished aluminum light fixtures. Each fixture is similarly divided into geometric modules that are backlit with strips of red, blue, and yellow lights, resulting in various tones and slow-moving kaleidoscopic effects that offer a sense of motion in addition to lots of color.

If you came onboard still loaded up with everyday problems and worries, they instantly walk the plank as you stroll down the promenade or sit in the Lobby Bar where the light from the canopy shines on you, the orange and red tones particularly "warming" your skin--and your outlook. In fact, Carnival could adopt for this ship an expanded version of the UPS slogan, "What can brown do for you?" to ask, "What can red, yellow, blue, green, and other colors do for you?" The colored lights in the atrium and elsewhere certainly seem to relate a message to passengers: "While you are here, just have fun, relax, be happy!"

Boredom is also excess baggage--left like a discarded lump on the pier. Guests find a full roster of activities for daytime--everything from bingo, sports tourneys, trivia competitions, and wacky events like the hairy chest contest to dance classes, deck parties, art appreciation talks, and wine-tasting seminars. Best of all, there's a pervasive "Let's do it all!" mood that is infectious.

And there are 22 bars and lounges (yes, count 'em, 22) with a variety of nighttime entertainment for which Carnival is well known--including piano music in the main atrium Lobby Bar; a karaoke party in Bar Blue; ESPN in the golf-themed On The Green sports bar; a DJ in the White Heat Dance Club; Vegas-style revues, comedians, and other acts in the main lounge; themed parties and extravaganzas in the cabaret (a '50s and '60s show with a cast of 10 singers and dancers had guests dancing in the aisles); late-night comedy; and more--so this ship definitely owns the night.

A full casino celebrates Egypt with life-size kneeling camels at the entrance greeting those who would tempt Lady Luck. Plus there is cool jazz in the Ivory Club, variety music on Kaleidoscope Boulevard, sing-along sessions at the Cinn-A-Bar, and other evening choices all of which proclaim, "Let's paaarty!" And if guests are game, there are plenty of other night owls to have fun with. This is definitely not a ship where most people retire for the night after the show.

"On some lines guests go to bed after 10:30 p.m., but not here, and we are very proud of that," said John Heald, cruise director. Things are jumping until the wee hours in the casino and the bars and lounges, particularly along the Kaleidoscope Boulevard, and the midnight adults-only comedy specials are well attended. "The piano bar, where we have sing-along sessions, is very popular," Heald added. "It is a great place to meet new people."

Definitely another happening nightspot is the White Heat Dance Club on Kaleidoscope Boulevard. Joe Farcus, Carnival's interior architect, calls the dance club "Liberace-like." And with good reason: Taking inspiration from the legendary pianist's candelabra, the disco is highlighted by big white candles (some taller than I am!) that are 12 to 18 inches in diameter, in silver candelabra bases, and with "flames" that are clusters of fiber-optic lights. In other areas of the disco, there are smaller candles on silver trays, and Carnival's popular "video wall" displays live shots from the dance floor and special effects.