Bring some heavy-duty sunglasses; thanks to the boundless imaginative (some would say hallucinogenic) designs of inventive designer Joe Farcus, Carnival ships are fervently garish. So much so that we feel compelled to coin a word to describe them; Farcusian. You can be munching a slice of pizza in Imagination's Lido deck, for instance, minding your own business, and suddenly realize you've been mesmerized by the bright purple and green neon tubing on the ceiling. Bring a sense of humor along with the sunglasses, and be ready to dispel all preconceived notions of acceptable color combinations.
Think Mardi Gras at sea. By day, young singles sip little-umbrella-laden cocktails, and then dance on deck to a live band. But it's by night that the action really goes into overdrive, with dozens of venues offering everything from lavish production shows to R-rated comics. There's a jazz bar whose patrons are urged to sing. You can hear funky blues or enjoy some torrid disco action. And both the casino and disco stay open very late, while the library, just for comparison, is open 60 minutes per day!
You'll encounter a very wide range of passengers, from singles, to the retired, to multi-kid young families, the latter especially during the summer and school vacation periods. When you want to get away from it all, you'll do so in some of the largest cabins at sea. The food's mostly delicious, and you'll marvel at how well managed everything is, especially considering how many passengers are apt to be aboard.
The price you pay for the never-ending fun on these ships is that you begin to feel as though you're never more than a few seconds from an announcement of another zany contest -- belly-flopping or hairiest chest, anyone? In fact, if you plan on using your cruise to catch up on some much needed rest and a trashy novel, a set of eyeblinders and ear plugs are recommended.
That said, Carnival can be one of the best deals around. With outside staterooms, even balconies, available for less than a thousand dollars per person per week (if you shop around), Carnival may well offer the most bang for the mid-price cruiser's buck.