A three-deck-high atrium inspired by the Piazza San Marco in Venice
with a sky-painted ceiling. A floor that looks like water to pay tribute
to the city's canals. Baroque portraits graffitied with the words
"Don't rush me" or altered to make a regal official blow a gum bubble.
These are some of the details Carnival Cruise Line recently unveiled
about the interior of the Carnival Venezia, an Italian-style Costa
cruise ship that will operate in the Carnival fleet, starting in June.
The ship will be manned by Carnival crew in an attempt to marry the
Italian ambience of the ship with the brand's signature "Carnival Fun"
experiences and service.
Both the Venezia and the Carnival Firenze were built for operations
in China, but with the country being closed to cruise travel, Carnival
is repurposing the ships to the US. The move also helps Carnival build
rebuild capacity after shedding a half-dozen ships since 2020. Both the
Venezia and Firenze accommodate up to 4,232 guests at double occupancy.
Baroque art with a mischievous spin in the Rococo bar. Photo Credit: Carnival Cruise Line
The ships are similar to Carnival's Vista class in terms of the
general layout. "If you know your way around the Carnival Vista, Horizon
or Panorama, you're going to feel right at home here but with a very,
very different look and feel a very unique Italian styling," said Glenn
Aprile, director of new build product development for Carnival.
While the exterior of the ship will keep the blue and yellow funnel
and Costa name, the inside of the ship has been tailored to provide a
taste of Italy to an American audience. For instance, the Mexican
restaurant Tomodoro will incorporate Italian meatballs and rotisserie
chicken into their ingredients.
The two-level lido deck has a pool, fountains, storefronts and iconic
columns to resemble an experience at the Italian Riviera. To lean into
the brand's idea of fun, Carnival took a bar area lined with classic
baroque art and painted words and accessories on the subjects. "We just
couldn't be that serious and be Carnival," said Carnival president
Christine Duffy.
The Venezia will begin sailing year-round out of New York on 15 July
to Bermuda. The ship will sail a variety of four-, five-, six- and
eight-day sailings to the Caribbean, Bermuda and ports in Canada and New
England, including Halifax and Saint John. Its sister ship, the
Carnival Firenze, will sail out of Long Beach, California, in 2024.
Source: Travel Weekly