Carnival Cruise Suites and Cabins Guide: Interior, Oceanview, Balcony, and Suites 

Boarding a Carnival Cruise Ship is like starting a big adventure with lots of fun and relaxation. Before you set sail into the sunset, there is a crucial decision to make – choosing the perfect Carnival Suite or Cabin category for your home away from home at sea.  

Your cabin will be your peaceful place among all the activities on the ship. There are different types of cabins, from simple rooms to fancy suites with lots of extras.  

Let’s explore Carnival Cruise Suites and Cabins to find the best one for your dream vacation. 

Carnival puts a lot of balcony cabins on their new ships which are popular because people nowadays like having a view of the ocean and fresh air. They have fewer balcony cabins compared to some other cruise lines like Royal Caribbean. 

Carnival Panorama launched in 2019 has 44% balcony cabins of the 2,004 cabins, compared to Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas launched in 2018, has 65% balcony cabins out of its total cabins. 

Older Carnival ships like Paradise and Elation have fewer balcony cabins compared to newer ships. Less than 10% of cabins on these two ships are balconies. Most of the Carnival rooms on these ships are inside cabins or ocean-view cabins, making up almost 90% of the accommodation. Suites make up less than 10% of the rooms on these ships. 

Carnival Paradise has 420 inside cabins, 466 Oceanview cabins, 98 balcony cabins, and 78 suites. 

On older Carnival ships, it’s harder to get a balcony cabin compared to newer ships. If you want a balcony cabin on an older ship, book early. The same goes for booking a suite, especially if you want one of the best Carnival Cruise suites.  

The most expensive (suites) and least expensive (interior) cabins sell out first, while the middle cabins sell last. Carnival Cruise Suites and cabins are simple and comfortable, with a basic design.  

Interior Carnival Cruise Cabin 

Interior Carnival Cruise Cabins are the simplest cabins you can get on a cruise, and Carnival offers them too. These cabins are good for those with a tight budget or who want to save money for other cruise activities like drinks, excursions, and dining. Interior cabins on Carnival Cruise Line are small rooms with no windows to see outside, so they don’t have natural light.  

Different room types have different configurations. The cheapest interior rooms are usually called Interior Upper Lower. These rooms have a single twin bed and either a pullman or sofa bed.  

Carnival ships also have interior cabins that have a view outside, but it may be obstructed by lifeboats or limited to a small porthole. Despite this, Carnival still considers these cabins as interior cabins. They are more affordable than ocean view rooms with larger windows. 

The oldest ship in Carnival’s fleet is Carnival Paradise. It has more interior rooms than rooms with balconies. There are only 98 standard balcony cabins on this ship. 

Carnival’s newest Excel Class ships have more than 700 interior cabins, giving guests many choices compared to older ships. On the Mardi Gras ship, travelers can pick from different types like standard, Premium, Family Harbor, Cloud 9 Spa, or Havana interior rooms. The last three options have extra benefits for your cruise, like getting into the special Family Harbor lounge or Havana pool. 

Carnival vs Other Cruise Line Interior Cabins 

Carnival’s interior cabins are bigger than Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Cruise line. Carnival interior cabins are about 155 to 185 sq ft, while Norwegian Cruise Line’s cabins are only 135 sq ft on the Norwegian Encore ship. Interior cabins on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas are smaller than those on Carnival Panorama, measuring only 149 square feet. 

Ocean View Cabins 

Ocean view staterooms on Carnival Cruise Line are one level up from inside cabins. An Oceanview cabin has a window facing the sea, but no balcony to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air. If you want natural light without paying for a balcony, these Carnival Cruise Staterooms are a good choice. 

Newer Carnival ships have fewer ocean view rooms because most cabins facing outside have balconies. But don’t worry! Just like there are many interior options on these ships, there are also different types of ocean view rooms to choose from. 

Carnival Celebration has 130 Standard Ocean view rooms, 41 Family Harbor, and 4 Cloud 9 Spa Ocean view cabins. Carnival Paradise has 464 ocean view staterooms, which are similar in size to interior staterooms. 

Oceanview cabins on Carnival ships can be larger in terms of interior space than inside cabins and balcony cabins. On Carnival Panorama, some Oceanview cabins are 185 sq ft, the same size as inside cabins. There are also larger standard Oceanview cabins which are 220 sq ft and deluxe Oceanview cabins measures 230 sq ft. 

Carnival’s Deluxe Ocean view rooms on Dream and Vista Class ships are great for families of five. These Carnival Staterooms are spacious and can fit more guests than standard ocean view rooms. These cabins are over 200 square feet, giving everyone enough space to relax after a day of fun. The bigger size means more room to move around freely, so families can enjoy their time onboard without feeling crowded. 

Note: Newer ships usually have ocean view rooms on lower decks. On Carnival Jubilee, Ocean view cabins are on Deck 5. On a Fantasy Class ship, these cabins are more common.  

Balcony Cabins 

Balcony rooms on cruise ships are very popular. These cabins on cruise ships provide a special and luxurious experience that many travelers enjoy. You can go outside from your room and enjoy the fresh ocean air in private. 

A Carnival balcony cabin usually looks modern with simple furniture. It has twin beds that can turn into a king bed, a desk, and a sofa that can be another bed. Some Carnival Staterooms have pullman beds. These cabins are about 185 sq ft, not counting the 35 sq ft balcony. 

Carnival’s new ships have more balcony rooms than older ones. The Carnival Jubilee launched in December 2023 has 58% balcony cabins (including suites) like its sister ships such as Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration have 56% have balcony cabins. Carnival Panorama has 46% and Carnival Paradise has 16% cabins with balconies. 

Carnival Panorama offers special balcony cabins called Family Harbor and Havana Cabins with larger balconies that are 60 sq ft. These balconies have a better view than the regular balcony cabins on the ship, with 70% more sq ft of space. 

Carnival Panorama offers Havana Cabana balcony cabins with larger 100 sq ft balconies. 

You can also choose Havana or Cloud 9 spa balconies, each with its own perks. Havana balconies don’t have ocean views. They open to a patio near a public walkway where other guests may pass by. 

Carnival start adding Cove balconies to their new ships, starting with Dream Class ships. Cove balconies are located on lower decks, sometimes as low as Deck 2. These balconies are more special than standard balconies because they are part of the ship’s structure, with a solid wall separating them from nearby cabins. 

Note: Some Carnival ships have balcony cabins with bigger balconies. These cabins are usually at the back of the ships, looking out over the wake. 

Carnival Cruise Suites 

Carnival Cruise Line offers different suite choices, but all come with different Carnival Suite perks to make your cruise better. No matter which Carnival Cruise suites you choose, you will get special treatment like fast check-in and check-out, priority for dinner reservations, two free large bottles of water, a comfy mattress, and bathrobes to use on the ship.  

Carnival Cruise suites usually don’t have butlers or private concierge lounges, unlike suites on other ships. 

Carnival Cruise Suites can fit more people than standard staterooms. If you want your whole family in one room, they are a good choice. Otherwise, you can get an ocean view room or two connecting staterooms. 

Carnival Grand Suite 

Carnival ships have fewer fancy suites than other Cruise Lines. The suites on Carnival ships are smaller and have fewer amenities. The largest suites on Carnival Panorama are the eight Top Tier Grand Suites. They are 345 sq ft inside and have an 85-sq-foot balcony. In comparison, the largest suites on Royal Caribbean ships can be over 1,500 sq ft. 

Carnival Excel Suites 

On the new Excel Class Ships the Suites are called Excel Suite. The Excel Suites includes suites like the Carnival Excel Presidential Suite, Carnival Excel Aft Suite, Carnival Excel Corner Suite, and Carnival Excel Suite.  

Booking one of the 32 Excel Suites on the new Excel Class ships gives you access to Loft 19. This area has a private pool with comfortable sun lounges and cabanas. Anyone on the ship can buy a pass to use Loft 19, but guests staying in Excel Suites can enter for free and have priority for cabana reservations. 

Excel Aft Suites 

The Excel suites have 12 Excel Aft Suites that are 861 sq ft each. These Carnival suites have separate living rooms and bedrooms, and large balconies with hot tubs that overlook the ship’s back. 

Excel Corner Suites 

There are 12 Excel Corner Suites that are a bit smaller, with 710 sq ft. They have separate sleeping and lounging areas and wraparound balconies.  

Excel Suites 

There are also 6 smaller Excel Suites that are 614 sq ft. 

Presidential Suites 

In 2021 and 2022, Mardi Gras and Carnival Celebration introduced two large Presidential Suites, each measuring 1,120 sq ft, which are the biggest in the cruise line’s fleet.