On Aug. 21, the Carnival Panorama became the first cruise ship in 17 months to resume sailing from California. A #BackToFun celebration saw the ship off from the Long Beach by Carnival President Christine Duffy and Carnival Panorama Captain Luca Lazzarino.
Here’s what to expect on the Panorama’s return:
The Celestial Strings performance is not just another set of song and dance numbers on a cruise ship. It’s a high-energy extravaganza with beautiful stylings of pop music and elegant choreography by academy-trained professionals who use the entire theater as their stage and even do costume changes before your eyes.
The show continues after the performance as the celestial voices and musicians dressed in heavenly white line a spiral staircase in the soaring atrium and perform a magical rendition of Nessun Dorma from Puccini’s Turandot.
Bet you didn’t imagine you’d see that on a Carnival Cruise. But there are a lot of delightful surprises on the latest Fun Ship, Carnival Panorama, where every day is an opportunity to do something out of the ordinary. Even the itinerary is unique.
We sail from Tinseltown
There’s no contrast quite as spectacular as realizing that Queen Mary, the most mammoth ocean liner in her day–much longer, wider and taller than the Titanic—is dwarfed by comparison to the sparkling new 15-deck high Carnival Panorama.
We’re docked right next to the retired Queen’s final docking place in Long Beach at the start of a week-long cruise to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta on the Mexican Riviera. Carnival’s passenger terminal is awe inspiring as well. It’s the enormous white dome built to house the audacious flying boat, The Spruce Goose, dreamed up by Howard Hughes.
Because we’re sailing from the city where cinema fantasies are made, some of the guests take full advantage to play dress-up. In the evening, a group of a dozen friends are dressed for fun and ready for a close-up. One couple sports outfits with designs taken from playing cards. Another wears his and hers zebra stripes. And another wears a lucha libre wrestling mask that seems inspired by a Kiss concert.
Ask what they’re celebrating and the answer is: “Life!” And as long as we’ve got life, have fun with it.
Choices are the only thing tough about each day
How many things have you never tried before that you can get to experience in a week on this ship? Whether it’s inner tubing down a spiral flume, walking on ropes above the deck, or eating green eggs and ham with the Cat in the Hat, there are options you may not have even imagined.
“Choose a vacation as fun as you” is the theme of Carnival Cruise Line’s latest ad campaign that encourages cruisers to be “shamelessly true to themselves.” There are tongue-in-cheek videos hosted by Carnival’s Chief Fun Officer, basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal urging guests to not take themselves too seriously. At the same time, there are ample opportunities to take on something serious if you’d like. How about signing up for a sushi-making class in the Carnival Kitchen or competing in one of the dance or voice competitions scheduled through the cruise?
So, shake your tequila or seek Serenity?
The mid-ship Lido Deck is where the most action happens and there always seems to be something a little bizarre and applause inducing going on, from a best hairy chest contest to a shake your booty with a cocktail shaker dance off. (Guess what: winners get free martinis).
There’s lots of non-stop action as well at the kids’ favorite, the WaterWorks Fun Zone, with its wild water sprays and a giant bucket spilling every few minutes in an unbelievable deluge. But you don’t have to be a kid to love inner tubing down a twisting turning water course and stopping with an enormous splash in a pool at the bottom. Panorama’s got two water courses and take it from me, the red is scarier than the blue, but maybe not faster. Race you to the bottom.
There’s another quieter pool zone on the stern of the ship where the swimming pool and whirlpools are less busy and the panoramic view includes the wake of the ship trailing to the horizon.
And for quiet adult time, there’s the Serenity deck at the top of the ship that’s far from the bustle. It can be a bit breezy there if the ship’s headed into the wind, but there are tall glass screens and clamshell surround chairs that keep things warm and cozy.
Hang out with a big Guy or an Alchemist?
A fun place for not taking yourself too seriously is the brewpub and warehouse-style barbecue restaurant house Flavortown, also known as Guy’s Pig & Anchor. All along one wall are the vats brewing up the next batch of Parched Pig beer and ale and seasonal specialties like German weissbier. And the menu includes “our smoke is no joke” barbecued meats, bacon mac and cheese and trash-can nachos.
It’s all inspired by as-seen-on-TV roadhouse comfort food gourmet Guy Fieri. He isn’t actually on board, but it seems like he’s ever present because there’s an imposing life-sized replica of him, complete with tattoos, keeping watch over the bar. A veteran brewmaster is in residence, though, and it’s a fascinating tour to see how your pint is made right on board.
Even more fascinating to see is the cocktail magic in the Alchemy Bar, where the mixologists are as much into show business as they are into providing liquid “relief for what ails.”
The bar looks like an apothecary worthy of a Harry Potter fantasy with various concoctions brewing in glass jars and a wall of drawers, formula reference books and even a periodic table on the walls. A leather book with backlit pages offers choices of Passion Potions, Energizing Elixirs and Selections from the Fountain of Youth, including “Forty is the new Twenty.” I could relate to them all.
Once you’ve ordered, the bar staff in lab coats go into lively performances of pouring and shaking that makes you feel happier even before they’ve served your drink.
And all that entertainment
In the main theater, Liquid Lounge, there’s a roster of entertainment every hour of the day, from Clue: The Murder Mystery and Hasbro: The Game Show to rock, Broadway and soul revues. The theater has a unique layout. Rather than having aisles of fixed seating, the main floor’s individual chairs can be moved to let the stage be extended as a runway or turned into theater in the round. I’ d recommend trying to find a seat on the Deck 4 level rather than the balcony on Deck 5, as pillars can mean if you’re not in the first couple of rows of the balcony, it can be difficult to get a clear view.
The shows hardest to get into are the Punchliner Comedy Club performances at the smaller Limelight Lounge. The lineup forms half an hour before the shows for comedians as seen on TV who do family-appropriate shows early in the evening and R-rated sets later at night. Because they’re so popular, a couple of the late night shows get switched to the bigger Liquid Lounge during the cruise.
Another must-visit is the Piano Bar 88 that has a dual personality. The place has a sophisticated club feel before 9, when a wall is open to the next door Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse and the pianist entertains the diners with pop music that has a classical edge, styling artists like Lionel Richie, Elton and Stevie.
It switches to a grittier feel after dinner, where the piano man cranks up high-spirited roasts and drinking songs. “I love this bar,” as Toby Keith says. My only caution is that, sadly, the bar’s special menu that’s full of drinks with double-entendre names like Blue Note (blue curacao, gin, rum and vodka) come out way too sweet. Best to stick to simple cocktails, wine and beer.
It’s a fun itinerary too
We’ve only skimmed the surface. Your ideal fun day could also include rejuvenating in the Thermal Spa, joining a whisky blending class or a blackjack tournament in the Casino.
And those days ashore offer a catalog of action options, including 4X4 safaris on the Baja Peninsula, rappelling down cliffs, horseback adventure, scuba diving or whale watching along with ample opportunities to shop and sightsee.
Panorama is a sister ship to Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon, but her year-round west coast itinerary is unique for Carnival: from Los Angeles to the Mexican Riviera, including days in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta, along with three full Fun Days at sea.
