THE PULSE: Carnival unveils the upgraded Pride, which begins its winter schedule out of the Tampa port.
WHY IT RATES: With all the talk of global expansion and Asia being the next cruising hotspot, it's good to see an industry leader paying close attention to the U.S. audience. I've seen the upgrades done on the Carnival Freedom. It transformed that ship and will do the same for Pride. Sure, there are more exotic ports and ports of calls, but this is a great example of a phenomenal bang for the buck vacation for the holidays. You're getting a new ship experience and not paying new-ship prices. - Tim Wood, TravelPulse editor-in-chief
Carnival Cruise Lines' Pride kicked off a winter schedule of seven-day Caribbean cruises from the Port of Tampa yesterday following an extensive $75 million dry dock that added a wide variety of Fun Ship 2.0 innovations, including four spectacular Playlist Productions shows.
On its new winter schedule from Tampa, Carnival Pride departs Sundays on week-long cruises to four popular Caribbean destinations: Cozumel, Mexico; Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan; Belize City, Belize; and George Town, Grand Cayman, or Costa Maya, Mexico. Each of these destinations features beautiful beaches, unique cultural experiences and a variety of shore excursion choices, from ziplining, snorkeling and kayaking to cave tubing and exploring ancient ruins.
"We're very excited to launch a winter schedule of Caribbean cruises from Tampa on the Carnival Pride, which is better than ever with a wide variety of new Fun Ship 2.0 dining, bar and entertainment innovations, including four new Playlist Productions shows," said Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO. "Not only does the Carnival Pride offer fantastic new choices for our guests it also provides our travel agent partners with an outstanding, value-packed Caribbean cruise option from Tampa for their clients," he added.
Carnival Pride emerged from an extensive three-week dry dock that added a variety of exciting new features that are part of the line's Fun Ship 2.0 product enhancement initiative.
These include delicious dining choices like Guy's Burger Joint developed in tandem with celebrity chef Guy Fieri, the full-service Bonsai Sushi, and BlueIguana Cantina serving authentic Mexican fare, as well as innovative beverage venues like the cocktail pharmacy-themed Alchemy Bar, the Caribbean-inspired RedFrog Pub, EA SPORTS Bar featuring a huge 16-monitor video wall, and the poolside BlueIguana Tequila Bar and RedFrog Rum Bar. A massive WaterWorks aqua park highlighted by Green Thunder, the fastest and steepest water slide at sea, along with audience favorite Hasbro, The Game Show, offering larger-than-life adaptations of the company's iconic games, and Cherry on Top, a "candy and more store," were also added.
Guests sailing on Carnival Pride can also enjoy four new Playlist Productions shows - 80s Pop to the Max, Heart of Soul, Getaway Island and 88 Keys: The Rock and Roll Piano Show. The new shows are highlighted in an entertaining video hosted by popular Senior Cruise Director John Heald and featuring interviews with members of Carnival's entertainment team and exclusive behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage. The video can be viewed here.
Carnival Pride will operate from Tampa through March 2015 then reposition to Baltimore for year-round five- to 14-day departures from that port.
SOURCE: Carnival Cruise Lines press release
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