Carnival Cruise Line

MS Carnival Miracle

Rating:
Submit your review here
Operator: Carnival Cruise Lines
Year Built / Last Refurbished: 2004 / 2004
Length / Tonnage: 963 / 88,500
Number of Cabins / Passengers: 1,062 / 2,124
Officers / Crew: Italian / International
Operating Area: Caribbean

The 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle, sister of the Carnival Spirit and Carnival Pride, is the third of a new class of vessel for the line, combining elements of the Fantasy- and Destiny-class vessels. She entered service in March of 2004 and offers passengers Carnival's special blend of spectacular shows, good food, a variety of tours, & diverse clientele.

Like her sisters, the Carnival Miracle incorporates a wide variety of design themes ranging from bronze sculptures and ornate glass vases to colorful bold paintings, that highlight the ship's "fictional icons" interior theme.

Adorning the ship's corridors are works of Italian artist Augusto Vignali, who created 18 original paintings of legendary fictional characters, including the Phantom of the Opera, Sherlock Holmes, Philip Marlowe and Captain Ahab.

The fictional theme is also portrayed on the Lido pool deck with three bronze statues of the mythical figures Orpheus, Ulysses and Sirens. Created by Italian sculptor Katia Tasselli, these six-foot-high statues enhance the areas surrounding the pools that bear their names.

Throughout the Carnival Miracle's stair landings are 60 Bohemian crystal pieces - elegant vases, candle holders and other items -- by Czech glass artist Borek Sipek, along with 27 original murals on the ship's stair landings by artists Andrea Tana, Calman Shemi and Devita Writer. Tana's works, which can be seen on many Carnival ships, illustrate mythology folklore, while Shemi created a variety of bright colorful abstract murals on aluminum boards. Writer also used bold colors to paint eight murals depicting beautiful skylines and landscapes

In general, the public areas are plentiful, clean, roomy and quite comfortable.

Let's begin a tour of the newest addition to Carnival's fleet on the Sports Deck (Deck 11) where the jogging track is located forward. The Balcony of the Nick and Nora's Supper Club alternative restaurant is located further back at the base of the ship's funnel. Behind the funnel is the children's pool and the entrance for the slide which dumps passengers in to another pool two decks below.

The well equipped Roman Spa and Gymnasium takes up the forward part of the two decks below, the Sun Deck (Deck 10) and Lido Deck (Deck 9). Equipment in the gym area includes treadmills, stair masters, Keiser exercise machines and a limited number of free weights. The Gymnasium sports a Greek theme with columns and hand-painted murals depicting Olympic events. Services available include sauna, steam, beauty salon, and "European-style" style therapy's. As with the other ships in the fleet the spa is operated by Steiners.

The only other public area on the Sun Deck is the main seating area of the Nick and Nora's Supper Club which is named after detectives Nick and Nora Charles, characters created by novelist Dashiell Hammett. The room has a sophisticated look with ebony paneling and black-and-white photos of New York from the 1930s.

Behind the gym area on the Lido deck (Deck 9) are the Sirens Pool and the Ulysses pool plus a couple of whirlpools. The pools are separated by the Odyssey Bar which serves your typical variety of pool side refreshments

Moving aft you come to the Horatio's Restaurant which serves as the casual buffet dining area. The restaurant is named after the C.S. Forester stories about the Napoleon-era British naval captain Horatio Hornblower and the room has a decided nautical feel. Large three-dimensional Horatio figureheads that look like carved ivory sculptures are scattered around the restaurant. Between the banquettes large models of 18th- and 19th-century sailing ships are on display. Wooden beams, arches trimmed in brass and anchor motifs complete the nautical ambiance.

Horatio's self-service offerings include full breakfast and lunch buffets, Asian and American specialty areas, pasta and meat-carving stations, extensive salad and dessert bars, and 24-hour pizzeria and ice cream/frozen yogurt.

The eatery also is home to Carnival's casual Seaview Bistro dinnertime service, offering a variety of menu items served in a relaxed, café-style atmosphere.

For those with a late-night sweet tooth, Horatio's also will serve as the venue for Carnival's Chocolate Extravaganza, served at 11:30 p.m. Cakes, mousses, puddings, toppings, cookies and every conceivable delectation in chocolate are served in a seemingly never-ending display of decadent desserts.

The aft end of the Lido deck includes the Orpheus pool and spa and the Orpheus bar which is nice place to have a drink and watch the sea fade off into the distance behind you.

The next three decks - Panorama Deck (Deck 8), Verandah Deck (Deck 7), and Empress Deck (Deck 6) consist primarily of passenger accommodations with a mix of outside balcony cabins and inside rooms.

At the forward end of the Upper Deck (Deck 5) is Pinocchio's Club which serves as home base for the Camp Carnival program and is the primary area for children's activities. The 2,400 sq. ft. area is divided into three distinct areas catering to different age group and is decorated in a theme highlighting the wonders of the sea. The remainder of the deck consists of passenger accommodations.

Another area catering to the younger passengers, Wizards is located one deck down in the forward portion of the Main Deck (Deck 4). Just behind the arcade is the upper balcony of the three level Phantom Theatre. Decorated to evoke the feeling of the Paris Opera House, which is the setting for "The Phantom of the Opera", the theatre is the primary entertainment venue offering Vegas-style revues, Broadway musicals for 1,167 passengers per show. The remainder of Main Deck is dedicated to passenger accommodations.

The mezzanine level of the Phantom Theatre occupies the forward part of the Atlantic Deck (Deck 3) and is surrounded by the Gatsby's Garden promenade/lounge. Decorated with Italian tiles and walls with painted fictional characters Gatsby's Garden provides an intimate place to relax and meet others or simply watch the sea from the large round windows.

Moving aft on the Atlantic deck you come to the sedate Raven library which also houses the Internet terminals for passengers ($0.75 per minute or$99.95 for unlimited access). Just past the library is the Chapel with it's stained glass gothic windows. The chapel is a second for Carnival (the first is on her sister the Spirit) and is used primarily for the renewal of wedding vows. Continuing aft you can follow the Kane's Way to Sam's Piano Bar/Lounge which always seems to have a late night crowd.

The ship's primary shopping area takes up the middle portion of the Atlantic deck along with the Photo Gallery where you can review the thousands of photos that are taken of passengers each day. The beautiful Metropolis atrium boasting a ruby-red glass ceiling and interior styling inspired by famous fictional icons (...think Superman), rises through the center of the Photo Gallery.

Aft of the Photo Gallery is the Gotham Lounge with it's dark wood decor and the upper level of the Bacchus Restaurant. This is the main dining area on board the ship and is decorated in a sleek Art Deco style.

An outdoor promenade flanks most of the public rooms on the Atlantic deck and is a nice place to get away from the crowds and read a book or simply relax and watch the sea go by.

The main level of the Bacchus Restaurant occupies the aft portion of the Promenade Deck (Deck 2). The restaurant is named for Bacchus, the Greek god of wine, while the restaurant annex is named after his wife, Ariadne. Breakfast, lunch and dinner - early and late seating - are served daily in the Bacchus Restaurant. The bacchanalian theme is carried throughout the décor, with giant silver goblets adorning the walls, grape lights with antiqued copper-finish leaves hanging in garlands on the walls and ceiling, and artwork of various depictions of Bacchus and Ariadne from classical paintings throughout the two-tiered room.

Next you reach the comic book-inspired Metropolis Lobby, the main gathering place on board the ship. The Tour Office and Information Desk are located just off of the Renaissance Lobby.

Moving forward is the Mr. Lucky's Casino which offers the typical cruise fare: blackjack, roulette and a wide variety of slots. Just past the Casino is the Maguire's Sports Bar and the Fountainhead Atrium and Cafe where you can get coffee and pasties (...for a fee) and the more intimate Frankie & Johnnie's Club with a small dance floor. The bottom level of the Phantom theatre occupies the forward part of the Promenade Deck.

One deck down, the Riviera deck contains mostly passenger accommodations and the Mad Hatter's Ball Lounge another popular late night stop offering comedy and music. The lounge features a large statue of the Mad Hatter himself and the decor reflects elements of Alice in Wonderland.

The two level Bacchus Dining Room was spacious, comfortable and quite nice looking. Main courses include a variety of seafood, filet mignon, prime rib, turkey, etc. Hot and cold soups and salads are generally good

The service is good but not excellent. The waiters, at time had trouble remembering preferences from one day to the next. Tipping is pooled, so there is no incentive to excel.

If you are looking for an alternative to the crowd in the main dining room, make sure you visit the the Nick and Nora's Supper Club which is nestled in the base of the ship's funnel. You will need reservations and there is a $25 per person service charge but the food there seems to taste better and the service is top notch.

The food up at Horatio's Restaurant was very good as well.

The midnight buffets were less elegant than most, usually serving obvious left-overs. The pizza at the pizza bar was very good. Desserts were disappointing. Unlike other cruises, there were no candles, no flaming baked Alaska, & no flaming cherries jubilee. Those desserts were served but they weren't made with alcohol or flames. (Ice cream with 3 cherries on top & frosted Neapolitan ice cream.)

Room service was very fast & a good alternative.

The Carnival Miracle has lots of cabins...based on double occupancy she has a LOWER bed capacity of 2,124 passengers and with hundreds of upper berths this ship can and does sometimes carry about 2,500 people....The standard cabins....which at some 190 square feet for outsides and 185 for insides are the biggest in this segment of the market...(except for the minimum priced rooms which are smaller and not very good choices unless money is a very important concern) are sparely furnished...a lot of hard surfaces and heavy duty carpeting, but the few fabrics hide dirt well, formica is easily scrubbed should it be soiled...this ship gets a lot of traffic...more of a carpeted college dorm room feel than the Ritz...at far less cost than either of them! There is a lot of storage space so there is room for everything you bring and buy en route. In the bathrooms there is wonderful water pressure and LARGE shower compartments.

Eighty percent (80%) of the staterooms are outside and most (70%) of the staterooms have verandahs. All cabins feature color television, wall safe, and phone.

Sooner or later EVERYONE who cruises sails on Carnival..or one of its family of cruise lines....and maybe they should...The Carnival Miracle pleases people of all ages...you'll find people from 90 days to 90+ years of age here..Remember that fleetwide about 30% of the passengers are under 35 years of age.. Kids love this ship and parents always appreciate the chance to drop off their young and know that they will be well looked after at Camp Carnival...

MS Carnival Miracle operates from Tampa, Florida and sails on week-long Caribbean itineraries. Western Caribbean itineraries visit, Grand Cayman, Costa Maya-Mexico, Cozumel-Mexico, Belize plus two "fun days" at sea.

These are marvelous, amazing ships....big for me, yes, impersonal for me, too...and far too much fun for my stolid, antediluvian inertia... and that she might not be my style is okay. I recognize her for the great ship she is! She can't cater to your every whim...so don't expect her to do it...yet all reasonable requests seem cheerfully accommodated...no mean feat for a cast of characters THIS size!...Some weeks she hosts almost 3,000 different paying guests!!!! Fleetwide, Carnival carries about 20,000 people every week..so...who can be more than a number here? Lose yourself in a crowd...let your hair down...even if you don't have any hair! Breathe deeply, let it out slowly if you are annoyed, let 'em do it their way and let them amuse you THEIR way....they're damn good at it!...Carnival DOES have the fun...it's not a top notch five star city hotel or a classy, high end resort, but that's not what you came to this ship to see.