Thinking of booking a cruise on Carnival Adventure or about to get onboard this ship? Here’s our expert Carnival Adventure review that covers everything from Carnival Adventure deck plan tips to what shape the ship is in and which Carnival Adventure dining options are worth paying extra for (and which ones aren’t!).
Carnival Adventure Location
If you are wondering about which Carnival Adventure location you should choose to depart from, you’re limited to Sydney as this is the only port Carnival Adventure sails from. In 2027 and 2028 there will be a few departures from ports like Adelaide, Melbourne, Auckland and Singapore. However, this is a long time to wait if you want a holiday now! Carnival Adventure’s sister ship Carnival Encounter sails from Brisbane and is (very) similar.
Carnival Adventure Deck Plans Are Quirky
The Carnival Adventure deck plans will feel familiar to anyone who has sailed on Pacific Adventure (when it was part of P&O Cruises Australia) or Golden Princess (when it was a Princess Cruises’ ship). However, there are a few tricky bits that will catch you out even if you are an experienced cruiser (we guarantee it!).
You’re greeted with The Lobby lounge and a glittering atrium that extends up to Decks 6 and 7 when you board on Deck 5 of the ship. Also located in this area is the Avalon Café for morning coffee and the two bars, Lilly’s and Charlie’s. You’ll also find the ship’s main restaurant, the Waterfront main dining room on this deck.
It’s when you head up to Deck 6 that things get a little more complicated! This deck is home to the free specialty restaurants, Angelo’s and Dragon Lady. However, Dragon Lady is ONLY accessible from the aft stairs or elevators. You cannot walk through the ship to get to this dining venue which means lots of people get lost when they are trying to head for dinner here. I wish there was an extra sign or two to help out new cruisers with this. You’ll also find the shops, casino and theatre on Deck 6.
Most of the bars and paid dining options, like Luke’s Bar and Grill, are on Deck 7. The Pantry is a buffet that’s located on Deck 14, along with the pools and the adults-only Oasis which is free to use. Deck 15 has the Byron Beach Club and the kids’ clubs. The top deck has all the waterslides, then you’ll need to go up one more level to access the Altitude Nightclub which sits in the ‘whale tail’ on top of the ship.
Which Carnival Adventure Cabins Are The Best
Carnival Adventure rooms are a generous size. We loved this but they haven’t been renovated, aside from new carpet, linens, and soft furnishings. As the furniture and bathroom haven’t changed from ship’s Golden Princess days, our cabin seemed a bit tired compared to the ship’s otherwise modern décor. There was also a water leak in the room next to us which meant we had to move cabins on our sailing.
Carnival Adventure offers the usual inside, ocean view and veranda cabins, plus a selection of suites. There is an excellent choice of family cabins onboard this ship, such as quad-share cabins with one set of bunk beds plus an adjoining cabin with a single bed and a sofa bed that can be booked as interconnecting. Triple berth cabins with a single sofa bed and double bed, plus a family suite with two separate bedrooms that sleeps eight people, are also available.
Carnival Adventure suites are excellent value as they’re larger than a standard-sized ship suites on many lines. They also have a spacious bathroom with a separate shower and tub with spa jets, plus a large balcony with a dining table for four and two sun loungers. The room’s fold-out couch can be separated from the main sleeping area with a privacy curtain, a bonus for those travelling with kids.
The balcony cabins along the sides of Carnival Adventure on Decks 9 and 10 have limited or no cover overhead, meaning people in the above cabins can see you when they look down and there is limited shade and cover from the rain. If you love the sun and working on your tan, these are fantastic though!
Cabins To Avoid On Carnival Adventure
If you are travelling as a couple, you may like to avoid booking a cabin next to rooms like quad shares that fit more people in them as these can get noisier than a cabin for two as there are more people inside these larger staterooms.
Interconnecting cabins (cabins with a door between them that can be unlocked to create a ‘two bedroom’ cabin) have less insulation than a solid wall. This can be noisy if your neighbours are loud, snore or are watching TV late, all of which might keep you up.
Cabins near lift areas and the laundry on any ship can also be busy and noisy. It can be a good idea to avoid cabins under the pool deck as well.
Carnival Adventure Dining Options
Carnival Adventure has pre-booked rotational dining, so everyone on the cruise can experience the two complimentary specialty restaurants, Dragon Lady and Angelo’s, and the main Waterfront Restaurant. When you book your cruise, you can choose early or late dining and your rotational dining will be booked accordingly.
Upon boarding, you’ll find the booking times in a letter in your stateroom. If you wish to change your bookings or make a booking at one of the for-fee specialty restaurants, visit Dragon Lady on Deck 6 to have your restaurant bookings changed or new ones made. On boarding day, there are staff members with a computer here to assist with booking specialty and non-specialty restaurants for your cruise. A desk is also set up next to the guest services desk on boarding day.
We liked how Carnival Adventure offers a lot of free dining options, including the Waterfront Restaurant (we really enjoyed this for lunch) and The Pantry, a buffet-style food court. Angelo’s is open for breakfast on sea days for everyone, not just those staying in a Byron Beach Club room (although these guests have a special entrance and get extra complimentary hot dishes like eggs Benedict and avocado toast with poached eggs).
One significant change compared to when the ship was sailing for P&O Cruises is that the Waterfront Restaurant is no longer open on boarding day. The Pantry can get very, very busy on boarding day, so head to Trattoria for free pizza to avoid the crowds. The Trattoria serves free pizza until 4 pm daily. This venue costs extra for dinner so being able to get free pizza at lunch time from here is a bargain!
Which Carnival Adventure Restaurants Are Worth Paying For?
Extra-cost restaurants on Carnival Adventure include Luke’s Bar & Grill, plus the Trattoria which is priced a la carte in the evenings, including an expanded pizza menu. The Chef’s Table is available for a set price and includes a degustation dinner and a tour of the galley. Two other paid dining options that are available are a High Tea offering in Angelo’s which is available at a set price. Yum Cha at Dragon Lady is available on selected sea days and is priced a la carte.
We dined at Luke’s and the Italian specialty restaurant, Trattoria, for dinner during our cruise. We thought both were well worth the cost. If money is tight, Trattoria has $12 pizza and $14 pasta on offer for dinner. Both restaurants don’t have to be expensive if you limit your choices to the less expensive options. If your budget is stretched, Trattoria is your best choice as this specialty dining option is much more affordable than Luke’s.
Quick eats are available at Luke’s Burger Bar on the pool deck and the top deck Pizzeria. In our opinion, these aren’t really worth the extra spend as you can get free pizza at lunch time at Trattoria and the two times we’ve tried Luke’s Burger Bar, the burger hasn’t been great.
If you want ice cream, you’ll need to order a dessert that comes with ice cream or purchase a cone or a sundae at the New Zealand Ice Cream outlet on the pool deck. This is worth the spend if you feel like a cool treat as the scoops are a good size.
The Best Carnival Adventure Bars For a Drink
On Deck 14 you’ll find the sun lovers’ drinking spots like the Pool Bar and Oasis Bar at the stern. The Oasis is an adults-only area on the ship with its own pool and sun deck and is a popular hangover recovery zone in the morning. Later in the day, people get into the cocktails and go for a dip in the pool. Deck 15 has the Sky Bar which overlooks the main pool and big screen. The Byron Beach Club is on Deck 16 and has its own pool, sun deck, bar and cabanas, and great service.
Piano Bar 88 is ideal for late afternoon and pre-dinner drinks or a late evening nightcap. There is entertainment here in the afternoon and evening with cool tunes, but there are no seats around the piano like you’ll find on other Carnival ships like Carnival Splendor. On our sailing, there was a terrific jazz ensemble that was drawing a crowd by the end of our cruise. They were really talented and obviously enjoyed playing together. No vocals, just very cool jazz.
Luke’s Bar on Deck 6 is a small but elegant drinking spot outside the Marquee Theatre that is quiet early in the cruise before everyone finds it. The Casino Bar is located in the casino but it’s a bit too bright to be very appealing unless you’re playing the tables or the pokies.
The Adventure Hotel on Deck 7 has a dance floor and afternoon/evening entertainment. Across the way, you can buy coffee at the Ocean Bar which also had pleasant seating with ocean views.
The ship’s ‘whale tail’ is home to the Altitude Nightclub. It’s perfect for watching the sunset if you can get a seat (but you’ll need to bring a drink with you as the bar isn’t open this early). Altitude turns into a disco and late night party hangout at around 10pm with music that’s pumping until the the early hours.
Carnival Adventure Shows And Entertainment
The Black Circus Theatre onboard Carnival Adventure features Blanc de Blanc Uncorked, a strictly 18+ show that combines, comedy, circus and burlesque. The Black Circus theatre hasn’t got the best sight lines so if you buy a ticket to a show here or want to attend a free performance like a comedy night, arrive early to get a seat with a good view of the stage.
The other big show on board is Musicology, a Broadway-style production of major music hits over the decades that is held in the main Marquee Theatre. It is very entertaining and suitable for all ages. This theatre is much bigger and it’s easy to get a seat. No need to turn up early here.
More high quality entertainment is provided by guest performers in the theatre and lounge and bar areas throughout the ship. More things to do on board include daily activities such as trivia, game shows and bingo that take place in the Adventure Hotel or Black Circus Theatre. All of these are popular so get in early for seats. The ship also has a spa and a gym, and a studio for yoga and free stretch and other (paid) classes.
Carnival Adventure Things To Do
Entertainment is an important part of cruising on Carnival Adventure. During our cruise there were giant-screen movies on the lido deck, live shows, themed parties, ziplining and loads of daily games for children and adults. There was also a LOT of trivia (we saw more than half a dozen sessions listed on the daily program on one of the sea days). We aren’t trivia fans and would have preferred a bit more variety but if you love trivia, you should have a lot of fun Carnival Adventure.
The ship is also home to the Fun Squad activities team who are enthusiastic. Whether you’re young, older or anything in between, there are activities to please every age group. If you’re travelling with older kids, an Edge Adventure Park pass is good value as they can go on things like the zipline as many times as they like during the cruise. If you want to enjoy a drink at a bargain price, you can bring one bottle of wine per person onboard in your carry on bag on boarding day.
Carnival Adventure Pools And Waterslides
On Deck 14, there’s a main pool and a separate kid’s pool which has a retractable roof for weather protection. Families will also love the two water slides that let you race against each other and the clock. For the grown ups, the pool on Deck 14 is the Oasis which has a good view of the ship’s wake and is adults-only (and free to use).
Deck 15 has the Byron Beach Club pool which is accessible via the entrance on Deck 16, but only for Club guests. We’ve written a detailed Byron Beach Club review if you would like to know more about whether the Byron Beach Club is worth the cost. Carnival Adventure has a bigger and better Byron Beach Club than Carnival Encounter with an expanded private sun deck with lots of extra lounges and also two-person cabana chairs which are free to use.
Carnival Adventure Kids Club
Carnival Cruises’ children’s program caters to five different age groups which is more than some other lines. Kids as young as two can go to the regular kids club which is handy and the staff will change nappies here for little ones. The Carnival Adventure Turtles Kids Club provides care for children under two so you can get some adult time out. Nappy changing is included here if you provide nappies for your child. Turtles Kids Club costs AU$ 8 per hour, but it’s worth it for a little me time.
Carnival Adventure Guest Laundry
Happiness is clean clothes (without having to pay a fortune), so the self-service laundry is on each cabin deck from level 8 to 12 is a winner. These are especially great for longer cruises, but make sure you select a cabin that’s well away from them, as they get busy and can have noise-related issues. All the laundry rooms have ironing boards and irons for pressing your clothes. There’s a small charge for using the machines and dryers which take tokens you can buy at guest services.
Carnival Cruises Australia Loyalty Program
For those who are frequent cruisers, Carnival offers a loyalty program, the Carnival VIPF Club on Carnival Adventure. This program allows you to earn points and accumulate status upgrades. The program provides minimal benefits for first-time users. However, it offers some attractive perks for regular cruisers in the higher membership tiers, like complimentary drinks, laundry, and other benefits.
Disclosure: The writers travelled with assistance from Carnival Cruise Line.
Want more great cruise advice? Check out our tips for choosing the perfect cruise, cruising with grandchildren, cruising with tweens and cruising with kids of all ages, solo cruising, the best activities on Ovation of the Seas, doing a Transatlantic cruise with kids, cruising in Australia or Papua New Guinea, Iceland cruise tips, cruising on a megaship, scoring a bargain cruise fare, cruising the Mediterranean, making the most of a cruise ship kids club, luxury cruising with kids, and the Byron Beach Club on Carnival Cruises. We have also reviewed Disney Wonder, Viking Vesta, Douglas Mawson, Carnival Encounter, Celebrity Edge, Carnival Adventure, Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas, Carnival Splendor, Voyager of the Seas, Nieuw Statendam, Viking Helgrim, Pride of America, Coral Expeditions in Tasmania and the Great Barrier Reef, Celebrity Solstice, and Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth.
