The Carnival Paradise: A Huffington Post Travel Cruise Ship Guide

Planning A Cruise On The Carnival Paradise? Read Our Travel Guide

Carnival Cruise Lines' Paradise is a popular floating resort. The waters are crowded with sea-worthy vessels, so to make planning easier, we've done all the prep work for a cruise vacation. As part of a Huffington Post Travel series on cruise ships, here is a tip sheet offering all the key information one could ever need to know about the Carnival Paradise.

From California to the Caribbean

The Carnival Paradise sails to Mexico from Los Angeles, stopping at Catalina Island. The ship also sails through the Panama Canal, stopping in Costa Rica and Acapulco on her way to Tampa, Fla. Then the ship sails to the Caribbean, stopping in Cozumel, Mexico, and the Cayman Islands.

Cruise in Luxury

The Carnival Paradise is a Fantasy-class cruise ship -- ships noted for their glamorous interior and luxury accommodations. Carnival also seeks to encourage families to cruise together. The ship sets aside areas that are exclusively designed for children and teens, while also maintaining adults-only areas.

Fun For All Ages

The Carnival Paradise offers
, where children ages 2 to 11 have age-appropriate activities at their fingertips.
offers 12- to 14-year-olds their own space to make new friends, while
provides young adults from ages 15 to 17 a high-energy place to play sports or video games and enjoy teen-only shore excursions. Adults can get away from it all at Serenity, the adults-only area, as well as the casino and lounges. The whole family can get together at the ship's
, miniature golf course and video arcade.

Accommodation Options

The Carnival Paradise offers more
than many other Carnival ships. The Paradise offers no standard balcony staterooms, reserving all balconies for junior and grand suites. All
are outfitted with luxury linens, many of which are available for purchase.

Cost

The varied destinations of the Carnival Paradise mean equally varied fares. A cruise on the Paradise may cost as little as $249 per person for an interior stateroom on a five-day trip to the Caribbean. A cruise through the
can cost as much as $1,019 per person for an interior cabin, and $3,119 for a suite.

Dolphin Excursion

Carnival Paradise passengers recommended the
near Catalina Island. The excursion takes place in a Zodiac boat, and the captain shares a lot of information with the passengers -- plus, he knows the dolphins in the area, and most of the trip can be spent with dolphins playing around the launch.

Dining Experience

The two main dining rooms on the
are the Destiny and Elation. Passengers can choose traditional dining in an early or late seating, or they can enjoy the "Choose Your Time" dining that gives passengers the option of reserving their table at any time. The Paris Cafe offers a more flexible dining schedule on the Lido deck. The ship also offers 24-hour room service.

Maiden Voyage

The Carnival Paradise made its
in 1998. In 2005, the ship entered dry dock for refurbishment. Waterworks, the ship's two-level water slide, was installed at that time, along with other high-tech installations like flat-screen TVs.

In The News

Our research revealed no notable news stories or safety concerns regarding the Carnival Paradise.

WATCH

The Carnival Paradise is a family-friendly ship.

Have you ever been on a long cruise?

Check out more CRUISE SHIP GUIDES.

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE