*Disclosure: This post was created in partnership with Carnival Cruise Lines as part of a hosted event. All opinions are 100% my own.
As big time Carnival fans and avid cruisers, we were SO excited to check out the new Carnival Panorama Ship that sails out of Long Beach, California.
We are especially thrilled because it’s so neat that the Panorama makes her home on the West Coast, which means it’s really easy for those of us in the western states to get to Long Beach and sail away!
In December, my family and I had the awesome opportunity to attend a media event aboard the Carnival Panorama which included the naming ceremony of the ship by her Godmother, the lovely Vanna White.
It was SO neat, and they literally rolled out the red carpet for all of the excitement!
My very favorite part of the event was the fact that the Carnival employees were there celebrating the first sailing of this new ship. If you are familiar with the Carnival culture then you know how amazing their employees are and it was so neat to see them celebrating this exciting event.
Here is a look at the Carnival Panorama Naming Ceremony as hosted by popular Carnival Senior Cruise Direction John Heald.
As you can see, this event included appearances by the USC Marching Band along with some words from the lovely President of Carnival Cruise Lines Christine Duffy. (she’s my favorite, so inspiring!!)
The ceremony also included the blessing of the ship and of course the official ship naming was done by the Panorama Godmother Vanna White and you can see it all here:
This was a great way to kick of the very first sailing of the Panorama!
Hotels by the Long Beach Carnival Cruise Port
One question that I get asked a lot is about hotels near the Long Beach cruise terminals.
If you aren’t local and you can spare the extra time, I highly recommend coming in early (or staying later) to enjoy the local activities in Long Beach.
We stayed a few nights at the Hotel Maya which is literally within walking distance (or a $5 Lyft ride) from the Carnival Cruise Terminal in Long Beach.
You can see the view of the port from our hotel room in the image above. (and it you really look, you can see the Carnival Panorama in the middle of those palm trees!)
Tip: If you stay at a hotel close to the Carnival Cruise Terminal: ask for a room with a view!
Not only is the Hotel Maya a fantastic property, the food is amazing and it’s a great place to hang out while you prepare to sail away!
Allowing for extra days before or after your cruise might also be a fun way to add additional activities to your agenda like a visit to Universal Studios or Disneyland.
Tour of the Carnival Panorama Ship
Once you set sail, the Carnival Panorama has ALL the things you’ll need for endless entertainment and fun.
The Panorama is a Vista-class cruise ship (sister ship to both the Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon) and while there are a lot of similarities, I’m excited to share with you the things that we love about these Vista-class ships along with a few unique and new things that take Panorama to a whole new level of Carnival Awesome.
Here are some of our favorite Carnival Panorama features:
Dining Menu at Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse and Art at Your Table Dessert
Not exclusive to the Carnival Panorama is the Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse and it’s one of our favorites.
We have shared our Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse review many times (always 2 thumbs up) and we highly recommend making time experience a meal here.
This is an add-on option, but so worth the experience and if you choose to dine at Fahrenheit 555, then we also suggest the Art at Your Table Dessert Experience.
It’s truly a memorable and special experience. You can see that here:
Circle C Kids Club on Panorama
If you’ve sailed Carnival before with kids, then you probably know the awesomeness of the Circle C Kids Club.
My kids LOVE Circle C and it’s such a great way for kids to connect and hang out with other kids their ages.
The Circle C staff is amazing at helping kids to engage with other kids. Since my kids are both in their teens, it was neat to see them create actual friendships in their Circle C groups. In fact, they both still stay in touch with friends that they made on the ship!
Features Unique to Carnival Panorama
While you’ll find many Carnival favorites aboard the Panorama, she also has some new and exiting features that really make this ship exciting. A few of our favorite features include
Sky Zone on the Carnival Panorama
Carnival Panorama features the first ever Trampoline Park at sea and let me tell you – this is a game changer when it comes to fun family activities.
The Sky Zone features everything from dodgeball to tug of war and it’s all done in a fun room of padded walls and trampoline floors.
We had so much fun during our time in the Skye Zone and one of my favorite things about this trampoline park is that it’s not just for kids.
In fact, it was a great way to enjoy our time with the kids which is what vacation time is all about, right?
Carnival Kitchen
If you love to cook (or even if you don’t!) you will love the Carnival Kitchen!
Carnival Kitchen allows guests to experience creating yummy recipes right along side real chefs. The best part is that they have all the supplies and ingredients ready for you and they even do all of the clean up!
Heroes Tribute Bar
Another first, the Carnival Panorama proudly boasts the Heroes Tribute Bar which is a tribute to our service men and women and their families.
As you might know, Carnival has long been a proud supporter of our military and this addition is just one more thing that makes me love the Carnival brand.
The brainchild of president Christine Duffy, the Heroes Tribute Bar features beer and cocktails served in custom glasses with a portion of each sale going to Operation Homefront. Guest can also purchase custom glassware as souvenirs.
Panorama Stateroom Room Tours
When you are planning and selecting your cruise options, I highly recommend upgrading to a room with a balcony – it really makes a huge difference in your cruise experience and will give you the opportunity for wonderful quite moments as your sail the open sea.
Also, make sure to take a peek at our stateroom room tours from aboard the Panorama:
As the parent of two teenagers, I look for so much more than “fun” when it comes to traveling. I want them to see and experience the world, but I also want them to have an understanding of how things work.
We had the really neat opportunity to take a tour below deck to see what goes on behind the scenes and let me tell you, it’s a lot!
We were so impressed with the Carnival recycling and waste management program.
Carnival’s commitment to reducing, reusing and recycling was impressive and I’m so thankful that we had the opportunity to learn more about their efforts.
WhyCarnival Panorama is perfect for family travel
Why do we choose Carnival?
Because they have all of the things that work for everyone in our family. As the kids are getting older, Carnival is still the place where we can all go and have fun together.
The combination of fun dining experiences, onboard activities and entertainment, the Carnival Panorama has it all!
From the amazing excursions to the quality time during days at see, we love the priceless gift of family time that cruising offers us as a family.
And this is the face of a very, very happy mama.
Please let me know if you have any questions about cruising with Carnival, I would be happy to answer as best as I can and if I can’t, I’ll be happy to try to get you answers!
Another tip! Make sure to take advantage of the Carnival Hub App when you cruise Carnival Cruise Lines, such a wonderful way to keep all of your cruising information at hand!
The creative and frugal mind behind She Saved for over 12 years now, Keri Lyn shares her adventures in parenting along with her love for family travel, country living and brand marketing. A self-proclaimed “brand loyalist”, Keri Lyn is known for her strong and enthusiastic voice when it comes to the products and brands that she loves. Passionate about family and the challenge of raising good humans (through the teen years, no less!) Keri Lyn has also served as a brand ambassador to many brands including her time as a Hilton Mom Voyage travel writer and currently an O Mag Insider for O, The Oprah Magazine and the 2019 recipient the O-verall Contribution O-ward. Read more...
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