We Are Sailing
By Gilly Pickup
 All day, her 110,000 tons had sat serenely, over half a
mile of gleaming white hulk overshadowing Venice docks. Hundreds of dark blue
sunloungers were lined up, row upon row, on guard around her elegant crystal
clear pools and alluring Jacuzzis. Carnival’s new SuperLiner, the stunning
‘Freedom’, sporting all the latest technological bells and whistles, is one of
the most sophisticated ships at sea.
Bags of Pzazz
 A quick jaunt up the gangplank of this $500 million
floating super-resort and we were in the glitzy and licorice allsort coloured
futuristic surroundings of the soaring Millennium atrium.
With its nine-deck high glass dome, lifts adorned with
sparkly lights; glass and copper chandeliers and host of colour-changing wall
lights, this newest family member certainly lives up to Carnival’s neon-esque,
flashy reputation – they’re not called ‘Fun Ships’ for nothing.
 The décor is the most anticipated part of Carnival ships.
Architect and designer Joe Farcus chose a stunning ‘decades through the
centuries’ theme for the ‘Freedom’. The result is inventive and whimsical -
from the Victorian theatre, named after British one-time monarch with curlicue
flanked stage, gold leaf and lavish marble touches, to the antebellum elegance
of the 1850s inspired drawing room with its grandfather clock centrepiece. The 1940s style Habana Bar, a vision of Spanish Colonial style wood
panelling with cigar-shaped barstools and tabletops, has a backdrop of orange
light framed by blue louvered plantation shutters providing a perpetual sunset.
Thrumming With Activity
Designed as floating resorts, it doesn’t take long to clock
the fun never stops. Complimentary 24-hour pizzas and ice cream, talent shows,
seaside theatre, signature Twister waterslide, longest at sea and an entire wall
of video screens showing films 24/7 mean this is the ultimate playground for
kids;
 while for adults, both day and nightlife is full on and fizzing. The
two-deck-high, state-of-the-art Show Lounge with revolving stage and orchestra
pit is the venue for glittering, razzle dazzle Vegas style shows- no cheesy
cabaret this - though should high octane clubbing be more your scene, Studio 70
with its 500 video monitors and neon lights won’t disappoint. Not
far away, in one of the 22 bars on board, (I counted), white coated, bowed-tied
bartenders diligently polish already sparkling glasses in Scott’s piano bar,
named after ‘king of ragtime’ Scott Joplin, where neon lights in the form of
musical notes link wall appliqués of pianos.
The enormous, noisy casino imbued with the Babylonian
grandeur of King Nebuchadnezzar 11 has over 300 slot machines while the karaoke
club proves popular with wannabes – not only do they show off their skills in
public with gusto but most want to take their embarrassment home too, on a CD
cut in a private recording room. Well, it takes all kinds……
Sleep Perfect Sleep
 Cabins
are called ‘staterooms’ on Carnival ships. No cabin fever here - as well as
being among the industry’s roomiest, many have private balconies with ocean
views. Every room has swish carpeting, individual climate control, television,
ample wardrobe space and a generously sized bathroom with power shower, glass
shelves stacked with fluffy towels and robes as well as a good supply of quality
complimentary toiletries - everything you need in fact, including sachets of
vitamins and breath freshening sweets. Every night, when you return to your
stateroom you will find at least one Carnival ‘animal’ artfully constructed from
a towel sitting on top of your bed along with a chocolate mint.
Food Glorious Food
 On the ‘Freedom’ guests can ricochet from one eaterie to
the next if they are so inclined. In ‘Posh’ and ‘Chic’, the ultra-stylish formal
dining rooms and the tapestry bedecked ‘Sun King’ reservations-only supper club
named after King Louis X1V, sophisticated attention to detail means
award-winning meals including the exclusive Georges Blanc Signature Selection
are enhanced by Bvlgari china, Riedel stemware and Frette linen.
The 1400 seat self-service buffet restaurant does live up
to the ‘pile-it-high’ stereotype, though to be fair, the health conscious or
overcarbed will breathe a sigh of relief to know it also offers menus featuring
dishes lower in fat, sodium, calories and cholesterol as well as a tempting
choice of salads and healthy offerings.
 Besides that, a patisserie offers
decadent sweets and specialty coffees, a sushi bar tempts with traditional Asian
fare, while the seafood eaterie serves delights including fried oysters and
seared scallops. A frozen yogurt station and 24-hour pizzeria – 5,400 pizzas
will be consumed every week! - prove popular with youngsters.
What’s more, you can - if you really want to - eat round
the clock (though why does anyone really want limitless supplies of munchies all
through the night?) Well, no matter, you can always hit the top deck at any time
for a few laps round the jogging track (10 times round is a mile) though it is
probably a blessing that the seriously fabulous Chocolate Extravaganza happens
only once each voyage.
Going Ashore
Though it was tempting to stay on board and take advantage
of the ship’s facilities, we decided we ought to inject a little culture into
proceedings by stepping ashore at Naples, Rhodes and Istanbul. If you want to do
the group thing, shore excursions vary in length from 3 ½ hours to 9 hours, or
of course, you can hop ashore and mosey around independently.
Oceans of Pampering
 And
because the world and (especially) his wife are spa crazy, don’t miss being
pampered just because you’re at sea. Spa
Carnival offers the whole health and beauty caboodle - you can even have your
teeth whitened if you fancy flashier gnashers. The state-of-the-art gym with its chill-out uninterrupted ocean views was almost enough to assuage
our guilt twinges about gorging that extravagantly more-ish food. So, would we go on another cruise? Just try and stop us…
Carnival – The Fun Ships - To find out more about Carnival
Cruises, itineraries, prices, call 1-800-CARNIVAL or go to
www.carnival.com.
UK visitors please go to www.carnivalcruise.co.uk
telephone 0845 351 0556.
All Images © Gilly Pickup |
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