Carnival Jubilee
Fodor’s Expert Review
Ship Overview
Carnival cruisers know what they want, and that’s affordable fun. Festivity is built into Carnival’s third and grandest Excel-class ship, the Carnival Jubilee. The ship debuts two new, ocean-inspired zones: Currents and The Shores. A sister ship to the Mardi Gras and Celebration, Jubilee offers a solid, action-packed experience with options to add upscale amenities during its seven-night Western Caribbean itinerary from Galveston, Texas.Read More
Built in 2021 and launched in 2023, the Jubilee is the first ship to homeport in Galveston, Texas, and is festooned with an embossed metal Texas star at the bow as a symbol of Carnival’s commitment to the Port of Galveston.
On the Jubilee, which is named as a tribute to Carnival’s original Jubilee, comedy and production shows; children’s programs; casual, crowd-favorite restaurants; and use of state-of-the-art fitness centers are included in the fare. The Cloud Nine Spa Thermal Baths, exclusive Loft 19 area, and upscale culinary options—including The Chef’s Table, located in a sophisticated private room overlooking the galley kitchen—enable passengers willing to splurge can access an upscale experience.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
What to expect on board
Staterooms & Cabins
The 2,687 cabins aboard the Jubilee run the gamut from budget-friendly inside staterooms to ultra-luxury excel presidential suites. The new Carnival beds are Europe-manufactured exclusively for the company and very comfortable.
Balcony staterooms have full, step-out balconies, while cove balcony rooms on deck 6 are inset into the hull of the ship. Vacationers with children will enjoy family harbor suites, which offer access to the Family Harbor Lounge. Kids and adults in the suites can hit the exclusive lounge to enjoy breakfast, snacks, video and board games, and movies. Cloud 9 Spa accommodations include spa-branded robes and access to the dreamy thermal suites with heated loungers, and Havana Club accommodations feature a tropical design with pops of orange. Consider a Havana cabana for your own private outdoor patio cabana with hammock chairs overlooking the Jubilee’s promenade deck.
The Jubilee contains a total of 80 wheelchair-accessible cabins for disabled passengers. ADA Balcony rooms feature automatic sliding doors for easy access to sea views. There are no single-occupancy cabins.
In addition, accessible routes are clearly marked throughout the ship and on an online, interactive map. Pool lifts are available. Each elevator bank contains accessible elevators with audible signals for guests who are blind or have limited vision and tactile controls within reach of guests who use wheelchairs.
Food & Drink
While the lines at the Lido Marketplace and at Shaquille O’Neil’s Big Chicken can be long, the complimentary food is filling and plentiful. Included with your cruise are Carnival favorites like the Blue Iguana Cantina, Pizzeria del Capitano, Guy’s Burger Bar, and newcomers Chibang! and Beach Buns. Guy’s Pig and Anchor Smokehouse (also complimentary) has a cozy, roadhouse atmosphere—try the stellar baby back ribs.
Relax in your room with 24-hour room service (for an extra cost) or head to The Lido Marketplace for free, buffet-style dining just past the Lido Deck and pool. Two complimentary dining rooms, The Pacific Restaurant and the Atlantic Restaurant, offer breakfast and dinner with the option of a set dining time or “anytime dining,” and the three-course meals are elegantly served.
For an extra cost and requiring reservations, specialty dining options Emeril’s Bistro at Sea, Cucina del Capitano, Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, Bonsai Teppanyaki, and Rudi’s Seagrill will impress even serious foodies.
The Jubilee has fourteen bars located all over the ship. The Cheers Drink package, priced at $59.95 per person, per day, includes unlimited soda, non-alcoholic beverages, and specialty coffee drinks, and up to fifteen alcoholic drinks every twenty-four period (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.). The Bottomless Bubbles package, which costs $6.95 per child and $9.50 per adult per day, features all-you-can-drink soda and juice. The bars have very different vibes, from ultra-glam Golden Mermaid to the come-as-you-are (evnr if you are in a towel and flip flops) Tides Pool Bar. Standouts include Dr. Inks, Ph.D., a new bar concept in the Currents Zone that offers color-changing cocktails, whimsical ingredients like vodka-infused Swedish fish, and even bubbles that hover over glasses; The Alchemy Bar (which zero-proof options like the Spicy Chipotle Pineapple Martini); and The Golden Mermaid, which is elegant and romantic.
Entertainment
There is never a dull moment aboard the Jubilee, and all entertainment is complimentary. The three-deck-high Center Stage offers dance, song, quiz shows, flying performers and more from morning until midnight. Rio Carnival is a new celebration of South American music and dance. In the Main Stage, Playlist Productions debuts “Dear Future Husband,” a show that left the audience cheering and participating. Lonestar Tailgate is a splashy, new, family-friendly extravaganza combining live music, games, and country fairground activities. With two comedy clubs aboard, it’s no wonder that Carnival is the world’s largest employer of comics. And if you’re not tired yet, every night offers options for live music and dancing under the stars.
Spa & Fitness
The Cloud 9 Spa and Fitness Center is clean and airy. There is a good variety of equipment in the Fitness Center—free weights, rowing machines, stationary bikes, stair-masters, treadmills, hydraulic weight machines, and rowing machines. The Deck 5 Thermal Suite is especially relaxing, including a hydrotherapy pool and steam rooms with aromatherapy and salt therapy. Spa-lovers should attend a Complimentary “Pamper Party” to meet wellness staff, access special treatment deals, and enjoy a mini-facial, and the Seaweed Wrap Massage is a uniquely blissful choice.
Key cruising tips
Health & Safety
The Carnival Jubilee is clean and features automatic doors and sanitizing stations throughout the ship. Many open-air areas enable Covid-cautious passengers ample opportunities to enjoy the ship.
Dress Code
While not everyone on the Jubilee seems to have the same vision of “Elegant Night”—floor-length gowns mix with sleeveless T-shirts and flip flops—the vibe on the ship is casual, fun, and celebratory. I loved seeing large families dressed up in matching outfits, including one child in a sequined tuxedo that matched his mother and sister’s dresses. The “Come As You Are” attitude is appealing, even if it might turn off guests who prefer to vacation solely with gussied-up compatriots.
Junior Cruisers
Carnival appeals to guests of all ages, and Carnival boasts that it hosts more than a million kids a year. Children aged six months to one year can partake of the Turtles program; Camp Ocean serves two to eleven-year-olds; and both younger and older teens have their own spaces in Circle C and Club O2 on Deck 17. Build-A-Bear Workshops, Zumbini movement and music classes, and Suess at Sea build out the exciting programming. The Night Owl slumber parties offer parents alone time.
Service
Stateroom attendants are friendly, thoughtful, and attentive. I loved the different towel animals perched on my bed each day, and the friendly hellos both in the hallways and from Carnival staffers, who are uniformly enthusiastic.
Tipping
Tips, which are distributed to stewards and waitstaff, are automatically added to passenger accounts at the rate of $12.95 per person per day for passengers in standard accommodations and $13.95 per passenger per day for suites.