The "Fun Ships" tagline has been used by Carnival Cruise Lines for most of its existence, with great success. But even the best ideas need to evolve.
Carnival is spending $250 million to upgrade its eight Fantasy-class ships under a program called "Evolutions of Fun."
During a tour of the Carnival Imagination in March, the second ship to complete the refurbishment, the evolution of Carnival-style fun could be seen in both enhanced signature elements, in the form of a 300-foot water slide, and also a quieter form of fun in Serenity, the first adults-only onboard area in Carnival's fleet.
People on the Imagination tour who had previously been on the vessel over its 13-year career were impressed.
"It's like a grown-up ship," said one two-time passenger. "I just can't believe how sophisticated it looks."
Carnival pumped more than $40 million into the Imagination during a one-month dry dock. The most striking effects are on the ship's outer deck, home to the new Carnival WaterWorks Aqua Park, the Serenity area and a redesigned main pool deck. The latter has a more tropical, resort-style look, with a thatched roof over the whirlpools and larger umbrellas. The intent is to make the area appear more like a beach.
Terry Thornton, Carnival senior vice president of marketing planning, said that due to Serenity's popularity on the Imagination and Inspiration, the area will be incorporated into other vessels in the fleet.
WaterWorks, meanwhile, has three slides, including a four-deck-high, 300-foot-long, twisting-and-turning tube slide. The area also has two 82-foot racing slides and a "spray park."
The rest of the ship was also updated, from cabins with new soft goods and refreshed public areas throughout to restaurants, bathrooms and the art gallery.
The ship is more family-friendly than ever, with 50 interconnecting staterooms and a new children's play area.
Carnival would not say whether the refurbished vessel has meant better pricing than before. Thornton did say the line is "very pleased" with advance bookings and pricing on the Imagination and Inspiration.
"We know that the positive word-of-mouth advertising will be very favorable," he said.
Refurbishment of the rest of the Fantasy-class fleet will be completed over the next few years.
The Imagination homeports in Miami and offers four-day cruises to Key West, Fla., and Cozumel, Mexico, and five-day cruises to Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos, and Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas or to Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, and Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
In September, it sails a three-day Bahamas cruise and a four-day western Caribbean itinerary.
To contact reporter Johanna Jainchill, send e-mail to [email protected].